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JOURNAL
OF THE
ASIATIC SOCIETY
OF
BENGAL.
EDITED BY
THE SECRETARY.
VOL. XIV.
PART I.—JANUARY TO JUNE, 1845.
Nos. 157 to 162.
C. ie
“Tt will flourish, if naturalists, chemists) antiquaties, p
parts of Asia will commit their observations. t6Swritig, «
in Calcutta; it will languish if such communicati ;
if they shall entirely cease.’—S1rR Wm. JONES.
agers, and men of science, in different
d send them to the Asiatic Society,
e long intermitted ; and will die away
CALCUTTA:
BISHOP’S COLLEGE PRESS.
1845.
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Contents.
PART I.
No. 157.
I.—Mr. Ivory’s Tables of Mean Astronomical refractions, revised and augmented
by Major J. T. Boileau, B.E. Superintendent Magnetic Observatory,
Simla. 44¢ see ence eee seine anor
II.—An Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India; being the Storms
in the Bay of Bengal and Southern Indian Ocean, from ‘26th November to
2d December, 1843. By Henry Piddington; with a Chart. wees
111.—Proceedings of the Asiatic Society for the month of January, 1845. 4...
No. 158.
I.—Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, a History of Sindh. By Lieutenant
Postans.—( Continued.) .... coon eves eoee sieina
I1.— Védanta-Sara, or Essence of the Vedanta, an introduction to the Védanta
Philosophy, by Sadénanda Parivrajakacharya, translated from the original
Sanscrit. By E. Roer, Librarian to the Asiatic Society of Bengal. ....
111.—Note of the course of study pursued by Students in the Sanskrit College,
Calcutta. By W. Seton Karr, Esq., B.C.S. .... ciate ose
1V.—Memorandum on the Ancient bed of the River Soane and Site of Pali-
bothra. By E. C. Ravenshaw, Esq., B.C.S., with a Coloured Map. ee.
V.—Proceedings of the Asiatic Society for the month of February, 1845. ....
V1.—Officers and Members of the Asiatic Society for 1845. cece alse
VII.—List of Members, eeee eece e@ecoe dia e@oe¢
No. 159.
I.—Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, a History of Sindh. By Lieutenant
Postans.— ( Concluded. ) oe oe ale oe ee
I1.—Notices and Descriptions of various New or Little Known species of Birds,
By Ed. Blyth, Curator of the Asiatic Society’s Museum. ee
I11.—Observations on the rate of Evaporation on the Open Sea; witha onetiee
tion of an Instrument used for indicating its amount. By T. W. Laidley,
Esq. oe oe oe oe eo ee eso
Page.
10
75
100
135
137
XVll
XXxXl1
XXX1l1
155
173
213
iV Contents.
1V.—On the Alpine Glacier, Iceberg, Diluvial and Wave Translation ‘Theo-
ries; with reference to the deposits of Southern India, its furrowed and
striated Rocks, and Rock basins. By Captain Newbold, M.N.I., F.R.S,
Assistant Commissioner Kurnool, Madras Territory. With a plate. ee
V.— Proceedings of the Asiatic Society for the month of March, 1849. ve
No. 160.
I.—Description of Caprolagus, a new Genus of Leporine Mammalia. By Ed.
Blyth, Curator of the Asiatic Society’s Museum. With two plates. ee
II.—Report, by Lieut. E. J. T. Dalton, B.N.I., Junior Assistant, Commis-
sioner of Assam, of his visit to the Hills in the neighbourhood of the
Soobanshiri River. From the Political Secretariat of the Government of
India. With a map. Si ee ee oe ve ee
111.—Notes, principally Geological, on the South Mahratta country— Falls of
Gokauk—Classification of Rocks. By Captain Newbold, F.R.S. &c., As-
sistant Commissioner Kurnool. ve oe a . o8
1V.—An Account of the early Ghiljaees. By Major R. Leech, C. B., late
Political Agent, Toran Ghiljaees at Kalat-i-Ghiljaee. From the Political
Secretariat of the Government of India. oe ee oe 3
No. 161.
I.—Report, &c. from Captain G. B. Tremenheere, Executive Engineer, Tenas-
serim Division, to the Officer in charge of the office of Superintending En-
gineer, South Eastern Provinces ; with information concerning the price of
Tin ore of Mergui, in reference to Extract from a Despatch from the Ho-
norable Court of Directors, dated 25th October 1843, No. 20. Communi-
cated by the Government of [ndia. .. a ee ee se
1].—A Supplementary Account of the Hazarahs. By Major R. Leech, C.5.,
Late Political Agent, Candahar. oe ee ve o% se
111.—Rough Notes on the Zoology of Candahar and the Neighbouring Districts.
By Capt. Thos. Hutton, of the Invalids, Mussoorie. With notes by Ed.
Blyth, Curator of the Asiatic Society’s Museum. (Continued. ) ee
1V.—On the Course of the River Nerbudda. By Lieut.-Colone] Ouseley,
Agent G.G., S. W. Frontier. With acoloured Map of the River from
Hoshungabad to Jubbulpoor. ee ee ee ve ee
V.—A ‘Twelfth Memoir on the Law of Storms in India; being the Storms of
the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal, 9th to 14th November, 1844. By
Henry Piddington. .. ee oe ee ee ee ee
Vi.—Some account of the Hill Tribes in the interior of the District of Chitta-
gong, in a letter to the Secretary of the Asiatic Society. By the Rev. M.
Bathe) Missionary. .. o's ee . a
V1I.—Proceedings of the Asiatic Society for the auth of May, 1845. ots
Page.
217
XXX1
247
306
329
333
340
304
357
Contents.
No. 162.
I.—Notes on the Religion of the Sikhs, being a Notice of their Prayers, Holi-
days, and Shrines. By Major R. Leech, C.B., Political Agent, N.W.F.
From the Political Secretariat of the Government of India. ee ov
II.—Notes, principally Geological, across the Peninsula of Southern India, from
Kistapatam, Lat. 14° 17/ at the Embouchure of the Coileyroo River, on the
Eastern Coast to Honawer, Lat. 14° 16’ on the Western Coast, comprising
a visit to the Falls of Gairsuppa. By Captain Newbold, F.K.S., M.N.LI.
Assistant Commissioner Kurnool, Madras Territory. oe oe es
I11.—On the Meris and Abors of Assam. By Lieut. J. 1. E. Dalton, Assistant
Commissioner, Assam. In a letter to Major Jenkins. Communicated by
the Government of India. oe ; Se Eh
1V.—Notice of some Unpublished Coins of the ‘eee HS sh By Lieut.
Alexander Cunningham, Engineers. .. nf ee a oe
V.—On Kunker formations, with Specimens. By Captain J. Abbott, B.A...
Vi.—An account of the Early Abdalees. By Major R. Leech, C.B. Late
Political Agent, Candahar. .. ee in
V11.— Proceedings of the Asiatic Society " Bene as the month of June, 1845,
398
I ml ne a
iuoenx
TO PART I. VOL. XIV.
Page.
Astronomical refractions, Mr. Ivory’s
Tables of mean—revised and aug-
mented. By Major J. T. Boileau, 1
Ancient bed of the River Soane and
Site of Palibothra— Memorandum
on the. By E. C. Ravenshaw, Esq. 137
Alpine Glacier, Iceberg, Diluvial
and Wave ‘Translation Theories;
On the—with reference to the depo-
sits of Southern India, its furrowed
and striated Rocks, and Rock
basins. By Captain Newbold, .. 217
Account of the early Ghiljaees. By
Major R. Leech, .. a e» oU6
Course of study pursued by Students
in the Sanscrit College, Calcutta ;
Note of the. By W. Seton Karr, 130
Caprolagus, anew Genus of Leporine
Mammalia; Description of. By
Blyth. a oe oe oe
Candahar and the Neighbouring Dis-
tricts; Rough Notes on the Zoolo-
gy of. By Capt. Thos. Hutton, of
the Invalids, Mussoorie. With
notes by Ed. Blyth, os -. 340
Course of the River Nerbudda; On
the. By Lieut. Col. Ouseley, .. 354
Evaporation on the Open Sea; Ob-
servations on the rate of—with a
description of an Instrument used
for indicating its amount. By T.
W. Laidlay, Esq., .. oe -- 213
Early Abdalees ; Anaccount of the.
By Major R. Leech, 56 -- 445
History of Sindh. Translation of the
Toofut ul Kiram. By Lieutenant
Postans, ae ye 75-155
Hills in the neighbourhood of the
Soobanshiri River; Report of his
visit tothe. By Lt. E. J. T. Dalton, 250
Hazarahs, A supplementary Account
of the. By Major RK. Leech, — .. 333
Hill tribe in the interior of the Dis-
trict of Chittagong; Some account
of the. By Rev. M. Barbe, .. 380
247
Page.
Kunker formations, with Specimens
By Capt. J. Abbott, -. 442
Law of Storms in India: An Eleventh
Memoir on the. Being the Storms
in the Bay of Bengal and Southern
Indian Ocean, from 26th Novem-
ber to 2nd December 1843. By
Henry Piddington, Se se | 10
Law of Storms in India; A Twelfth
Memoir on the. Being the Storms
of the Andaman Sea and Bay of
Bengal, from 9th to 14th Novem-
ber, 1844. By Henry Piddington, 357
List of Members, Sie fore ER IID
Meris and Abors of Assam ; On the.
By Lieut. J.T. E. Dalton, ee 426
Mergui Tin-ore; Report, &c. from
Captain G. B. Tremenheere, .. 329
New or Little Known species of
Birds ; Notices and Descriptions of
various. By Ed. Blyth, .. os, L738
Officers and Members of the Asiatic
Society for 1845, Deve aia oS
Proceedings of the Asiatic Society
fOr S45; eas 1-XV1I-XXX1-XXKiX-lV
Peninsula of Southern India, from
Kistapatam ; Notes, principally
Geological, across the. By Capt.
Newbold, .. at a ae
Religion of the Sikhs, being a No-
tice of their Prayers, Holidays,
and Shrines ; Notes on the. By
Major RK. Leech, .. oe oe 393
South Mahratta country—Falls of
Gokauk—Classification of Rocks.
Notes, principally Geological, on
the. By Captain Newbold, «- 268
Unpublished Coins of the Indo-
Scythians ; Notice of some. By
Lieut. Alex. Cunningham, -» 430
Védanta Sara, or Essence of the Vé-
danta, an introduction to the Vé-
danta Philosophy by Sadénanda
Parivrajakacharya, translated from
the original Sanscrit. By E. Roer, 100
398
INDEX TO NAMES OF CONTRIBUTORS
TO PART
Assott, Capt. J. On Kunker forma-
tions, with Specimens, .. a
BoitEau, Major J. T., Mr. Ivory’s
Tables of mean Astronomical] re-
fractions, revised and augmented,
Biytu, Ed. Notices and Descrip-
tions of various New or Little
known species of Birds, .. oe
———— Description of Caprola-
gus, a new Genus of Leporine
Mammalia, .. oe i eM
BarsBe, Rev. M. Some account of
the Hill Tribes in the interrior of
the District of Chittagong, oe
CunninGHaM, Lieut. Alex. Notice
of some Unpublished Coins of the
Indo-Scythians, .. oe ee
Datrton, Lieut. BE. J. Tl. Report of
his visit to the Hills in the neigh-
bourhood of the Soobanshiri Ri-
ver, o- ee a Be:
——_—___—__-_—_-__—— On the
Meris and Abors of Assam, ..
Horton, Capt. Thos. Rough Notes
on the Zoology of Candahar and
the Neighbouring Districts. of the
Invalids, Mussogrie. With notes
by Bp. BuytH, .. oe ee
Laip.Lry, T. W. Esq. Observations
on the rate of Evaporation on the
Open Sea; with adescription of an
Instrument used for indicating its
amount, oe ee oe oe
Leecu, Major. R. An Account of
the early Ghiljaees, ta ee
Supplementary
Account of the Hazarahs, .. oe
—__—__—__-——_ Notes on.the Reli-
gion of the Sikhs, being a Notice
of their Prayers, Holidays, and
Shrines, ee oe oe oe
————_——_-— An account of the
Early Abdalees, .. oe ee
—_—_—_—_ A
442
247
380
-- 200
426
340
213
306
333
393
445
lhe,
VOL. XIV.
Page.
Newso ip, Capt. On the Alpine
Glacier, Iceberg, Diluvial and
Wave Translation Theories; with
reference to the deposits of South-
ern India, its furrowed and striated
Rocks, and Rock basins, .. Ne aks
—— Notes, principally
Geological, on the South Mahratta
country— Falls of Gokauk—Classi-
fication of Rocks, a sedi
——_-—_——_——_ Notes, principally
Geological, across the Peninsula
of Southern India, from Kistapa-
tam, .. one eo ae an
OusELEY, Lieut. Colonel, On the
Course of the River Nerbudda,.. 354
PippineTon, H. Eleventh Me-
moir on the Law of Storms in
India, being the Storms in the Bay
of Bengal and Southern Indian
Ocean, from 26th November to 2d
December, 1813, .. °
—
—=
welfth
Memoir on the Law of Storms in
India; being the Storms of the
Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal,
9th to 14th November, 1844, Are oyA
Postans, Lieut. ‘Translations of
the Toofut ul Kiram, a History of
Sindh,.. Se ye we 79-155
Rorr, E. Védanta-Sara, or Essence
of the Védanta, an introduction to
the Védanta Philosophy by Sadé-
nanda, Parivrajakacharya, trans-
lated from the original Sanscrit,.. 100
RavensHaw, E.C. Esq., Memo-
randum on the Ancient bed of the
Riwer Soane and Site of Palibothra, 137
Seton Karr, W. Esq. B.C.S.
Note of the course of study pursu-
ed by Students in the Sanscrit
College, Calcutta, «> ae -» 130
TREMENHEERE, Capt. G.B. Re-
port, &c:,) io; sie ate s« O29
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Proceedings of the Astatic Society for the month of January, 1845.
(And at its supplementary Meeting of lst February, 1845.)
The monthly meeting of the Society took place at the usual hour, at the rooms,
on Tuesday evening, the 14th January.
The Rev. Dr. Heberlin, in the Chair.
The following gentlemen, proposed at the last meeting, were ballotted for and
declared duly elected.
F. Boutros, Esq. Dehli College ; A. Christopher, Esq. La Martiniere ; S. B. Bow-
ring, Esq. C. S. ; John Ward, Esq. Civil Engineer ; E. Blyth, Esq. Associate Member.
And the following new members were proposed : Major Lawrence, Resident, Nepal,
proposed by H. Torrens, Esq. seconded by the Sub-Secretary ; Rev. Peter Barbé,
proposed by H. Torrens, Esq. seconded by the Sub-Secretary.
The Society’s Office-bearers for 1844 were unanimously re-elected for 1845, and
the following gentlemen were added to their number,—
As Vice-President, Lieut. Col. W. N. Forbes, B. E.
As members of the Committee of Papers,
W. Seton Karr, Esq. C. S.
W. B. O’Shaughnessy, Esq. B. M. S.
On the motion of the Secretary, H. Torrens, Esq. seconded by F. G. T. Heatley,
Esq. it was resolved,
That the following gentlemen be requested to act as Corresponding Members of
the Committee of Papers,—
V. Tregear, Esq. A. Sprenger, Esq. M. D.
Captain Boileau, B. E. G. G. Spilsbury, Esq. M. D.
Lieut. Phayre, B. N. I. Lieut. Tickell, B. N, J.
Captain Cunningham, B. N. 1.
And that the Committee of Papers be empowered from time to time to add to the
foregoing the names of such gentlemen as it may deem likely to assist in its
labours.
It was further resolved, that the hour of meeting in future be half: past seven in-
stead of half-past eight, pv. m.
Read the following list of books.
Books received for the Meeting of the Asiatic Society, Tuesday, January 14, 1845.
Presented.
The Holy Bible in Hindustanee, by Rev. Mr. Long.
The New Testament in Bengalee and English, Matthew to John, by do. do.
A
ii Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Jan, 1845.
Hindustanee Pentateuch, by the Rev. J. Long.
Hindee New Testament, by do. do.
New Testament in Bengalee, by do. do.
Psalms of David in Bengalee, 2 copies, by do. do.
A number of Bengalee tracts, by do. do.
Usher’s Works, Vols. II. to XIII. by the Dublin De
Livius ed. Walker, 7 vols. by do. do.
Wall on the Antient Orthography of the Jews, 3 vols. by do. do.
H. Lloyd’s Treatises on Light and Vision, 1 vol. by do. do.
Lectures on the Wave-Theory of Light, 1 vol. by do. do.
B. Lloyd’s Mechanical Philosophy, by do. do.
Todd’s Discourses on the Prophecies relating to Antichrist, | vol. by do. do.
Proceedings of the Irish Archeological Society, by the Society.
Journal of Great Britain and Ireland,. No. 13, by the Society.
Proceedings of the Royal Asiatic Society for 1844, by the Society.
Bullétin de la Société de Géographie. Tome 20. Paris, 1843. By the Society.
Journal of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of India, vol. iii, part iii, by
the Society.
Specimen e Litteris Orientalibus, exhibens Taalibii Syntagma. Auct. J. J. Valeton,
by the Academy of Leyden.
Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal, No. 73, April to July 1844, by the Editor.
Calcutta Christian Observer, January 1845, by the Editors.
North British Review, No. 1, May 1844, by the Rev. Dr. Wilson.
Akademischer Almanach der Baierischen Akademie der Wissenschaften fiir das Jahr
1844, by Professor v. Martius.
Oriental Christian Spectator, for December 1844, by the Editor.
Documents et Observations sur le Cours du Bahr el Abiad, par M. D’ Armand.
Second Voyage ditto ditto, two copies.
Collection Géographique de la Bibliothéque Royale.
Glossarium Sanscriticum, auct.F. Bopp. Fasciculus II. Berolini, 1844, by the author.
Exchanged.
’ Journal Asiatique, No. 13, April, 1844.
The Atheneum, Nos. 884—888, 19th Oct. to 2nd Nov. 1844.
Purchased.
Haji Khalfee Lexicon, | vol. printed for the Asiatic Society by the Oriental Transla-
tion Fund.
Lettre sur l’utilité des Museés ethnographiques, par Ph. Fr. de Siebold, Paris, 1843.
Journal des Savants, June, 1844.
Philosophical Magazine for July, No. 162. Supplement to D. D. No. 163, and for
Aug. 1844, No. 164.
Lardner’s Cabinet Cyclopedia, History of Greece, by C. Thirlwall, vol. 8.
It was resolved, that the Society subscribe to the North British Review.
Read the following letter from the Librarian of Trinity College, Dublin :—
To the Vice President of the Asiatic Society of Bengal.
S1r,—I am directed by the Provost and Senior Fellows of Trinity College, Dublin, (in pursuance
of the answer which they commissioned the Vice Chancellor of the University of Dublin to make
Jan. 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. iii
to your letter to him, dated last September) to forward to you for presentation to the Asiatic So-.
ciety of Bengal, the works noted on the other side.
I have the honor to be, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
CHARLES WM. WALL,
Trinity College, Dublin, July 8, 1844. Librarian.
Archbishop Usher’s works, edited by Charles R. Ebrington, D. D. Regius, Professor of Di-
vinity in the University of Dublin, Vol. II. to XIII. inclusive (Vol. I. XIV. &c, not yet published)
An examination of the Ancient Orthography of the Jews. By Charles William Wall, Senior
Fellow of Trinity College, and Professor of Hebrew in the University of Dublin, Vols, I. II. and III.
Discourses on the Prophecies relating to Antichrist in the writings of Daniel and St. Paul. By
James Henthron Todd, M.R. I. A. Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin.
A Treatise on Light and Vision. By the Rev. Humphrey Lloyd, M. A. Fellow of Trinity College,
Dublin.
An Elementary Treatise of Mechanical Philosophy. By Bartholomew Lloyd, D. D. Provost of
Trinity College, Dublin.
Lectures on the Wave Theory of Light. By the Rev. H. Lloyd, D. D.
Livius, a John Walker, 7 Vols.
Read the following letter from the Librarian :
To H. Torrens, Esa. Secretary, Asiatic Society.
S1r,—I have the honor to submit to you an alphabetical list of the books received during the
past year into the Library, together with the account sales of the Oriental publications, and an
account of the publications delivered, sold and in store, from the 31st of July 1843, to the 31st of
December 1844.
From the alphabetical list it appears, that the number of works received, is nearly the same
with that of the preceding year.
I beg, however, to observe, that most of these works bear upon Natural History and Natural
Science in general, while a few only are connected with Oriental Researches. Althoughit is very
desirable, that the library of the Asiatic Society should contain standard works on natural sciences,
the Oriental division, which is so closely linked with the objects of the Society, should not be
neglected. I therefore beg to propose, that the Society may be pleased to fix an annual sum of some
hundred rupees to enable the Librarian to improve the collection of Oriental works in the Library.
J have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
14th January, 1845. E, RoER.
Abstract of the List of Books received into the Library during 1844.
Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Transactions, vol. ii, January and February 1844,
No.1,
Ditto ditto Proceedings, Nos, 30-33.
Agricultural and Horticultural Society of India, Journal, vol. 2, Nos. 11-12, vol. 3, Nos. 1-2.
Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Nos. 77-83 and Nos. 85-89.
Athenzum, Nos, 855-858, and Nos. 861-883.
Ayeen Akbery, or the Institutes of Akber, translated by Gladwin, 2 vols.
Bombay Branch Royal Asiatic Society. Journal, No. 7, 1844.
Botanical Society of London, 1839. vol. i.
British Association for the Advancement of Science. Report for 1843.
Calcutta Christian Observer, vol, v. 1844, from January to December, 12 Nos,
iv Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Jan. 1845.
Calcutta Literary Gleaner, vol. ii. Nos. 10-11.
Classical Museum of London, 1844, Nos. 2-5.
Forster, (C.) Historical Geography of Arabia. London, 1844, 2 vols.
Gayangos, (P. de) History of the Mahomedan Dynasties in Spain, vol. ii. London, 1843.
General Report on Public Instruction in the Bengal Presidency, for 1842-43, 1 vol.
Geological Society of London, List of the Members for 1843.
Proceedings, vol. 14, No. 96, and Index to vol. 3, No. 93.
Golingham, (J.) Meteorological Register at Madras.
Goodwyn, (H.) Memoir on Iron Roofing, Calcutta, 1844.
Ditto ditto plates.
Grey, (Hamilton) History of Etruria, part 1, 1 vol.
Griffith, (W.) the Palms of British India.
Heeren, (A. H. L.) Manual of Ancient History. Third edition. Oxford, 1840.
Jameson’s Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal, Nos. 69-72.
Jeffroy, (A.) Notes on the Marine Glue. London, 1843, Pamphlet.
Jerdon, Illustrations of Indian Ornithology, No. 1, Madras 1843.
Johnston, (K. M.) Report of the Secretary of the Navy.
Jones, (J. T.) Brief Grammatical Notices of the Siamese Language.
Lardner, (D.) and Walker Cabinet Cyclopedia. Electricity, vol. ii. 1844.
London, Edinburgh and Dublin Philosopical Magazine and Journal of Science, vol. 22, Nos. 147,
148 ; vol. 23, Nos. 159, 150, 153, 185; vol. 24, Nos. 156, 161.
M ‘Clelland (J.) and W. Griffith, Calcutta Journal of Natural History, 4 vols. Nos. 1-16, and Nos.
17, 18.
Madras Journal of Literature and Science, No. 30, June 1844.
Magnetic Observations from the Observatory of Bombay.
Naturalist’s Library, Ichthyology, vol. 6, British Fishes, Ornithology, vol. 14, British Birds, 2 yols.
Napier, (W. F. P.) History of the Peninsular War, vols, 3-5.
Niebuhr (B. G.) History of Rome, vols. 4, 5.
Oriental Christian Spectator, vol. 4. No. 12. Second Series, Nos, 1-11.
Penny Cyclopedia, vols. 25, 26.
Piddington, (H.) Horn-book of Storms for the Indian and China Seas, |! vol.
Prichard, (J. C.) Natural History of Man, 1 vol.
Ditto ditto Researches into the Physical History of Mankind, vols. 1-4.
Ram Chunder Doss, General Register of the Bengal Civil Service, from 1796-1842.
Register of the Singapore Tides. .
Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, 1843, Annual Report of the Council.
Royal Geographical Society of London. Journal, vol. 14, part 6, 1843.
Royal Irish Academy. Transactions, vol. 19, part ii.
Ditto Proceedings, 1841-42, part 6 ; 1842-43, part 7.
Royal Society of Edinburgh, vol. 15, part 2nd, 3rd Series.
Royal Society of London, Philosophical Transactions, from 1838-43, 6 vols. and part i. for 1844.
Shea, (and Troyer) Dabistan, or School of Manners, translated from the Persian.
Sketch of the Systems of Education, moral and intellectual, in practice at Bruce Castle School,
Tottenham, London, 1839, 1 vol.
Slane, (Mac G. de) Ibn Khalikan’s Biographical Dictionary, translated from the Arabic, vol, ii,
Paris 1843.
Smith, (A.) Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa, Nos. 18, 19.
Society of Arts, Transactions, vol. 54.
Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, premium for the sessions
1843-44,
Somerby, (B.) Thesaurus Conchyliorum, or figures and descriptions of shells. 1842-43.
Jan. 1845. | Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. Vv
Somerby, Conchologia Tconica, a Repertory of species of shells, pictorial, descriptive. London,
1843, 3 vols.
Taylor, (G. P.G.) General Catalogue of the principal fixed stars, from observations made at
Madras in 1830-1843.
Troyer, Vide Shea.
Vetch, Inquiry into the manner of establishing a steam-navigation between the Mediterranean
and Red Seas, London, 1843.
Wiseman, Letter on science and revealed religion.
Wood, (W.) Catalogue of a valuable collection of books in Natural History, arranged in classes
according to the Linnean system. :
Zoology of the voyage of H. M. Ship ‘‘ Sulphur,” during the years 1836-1842,
French.
Annuaire du Burean des Longitudes, 1842, 1 vol.
Accroissement de la collection Géographique de la Bibliothéque Royale, 1841.
Bureau des Longitudes. Connaissance des temps des movements célestes pour, 1843-45,
3 vols.
Florival, (P. C. V.de) Moise de Khorene, texte Armemien et introduction Frangaise, 1844, 2 vols.
Humboldt, (A. de) L’Asie Centrale. Paris, 1843, 3 vols.
Journal des Savants, Paris, April, 1843 to Aug. 1844.
Jomard, Notation Hypsométrique, P.
Mas, (S. de) Mémoire Sur l’idéographie Macao. 1844—P.
Ditto ditto, Vocabularie l’idéographique, P. *
Quatremére Histoire des Sultans Mamlouks de Egypte. Tom. II, Paris, 1842.
Rafn, (Chr.) Mémoire sur la Découverte de l’Amerique. Copenhagen 1843, 1 vol.
Roberts, (G.) Voyage de Delhi 4 Bombay en 1841, 1 vol.
Societé Asiatique, Journal 3 me. Série. Nov. Dec. 1842, Tome 4. 4 me. Serie vols. 1-3.
Société de Géographie, Bullétin 2 me. Série, Tomes 18-19, Paris, 1842-43.
Ditto ditto, Extract du Rapport Annuel, 1839. j
Societé Physique et d’Histoire Naturelle de Geneve Memoires, 1841-42, 1 vol.
Societé Royale d’agriculture de Lyon.
Annales des Sciences Physiques et Naturelles 1838-1840, 3 vols.
Societé Royale des antiquaries du Nord, section Asiatique, mémoires, 1842-43, Copenhagen.
Tassy, (G, de) Saadi Paris, 1843,—P.
Walkenaer, (Baron de) Notice Historique sur la vie et les ouvrages de Major Rennell,—P.
Italian.
Hemso, (G, de) Ultimi progressi de la Geografia. Milano 1843.—P.
Informe Sobre el Estado de las Islas Filipinas an 1842 Madrid 1843,2 vols.
German.
Koenigliche Gesellschaft fiir die nordische Alterthumskunde, Iahresversammlung, 1842.
Lassen, (Ch) Zeitschrift fiir die Kunde des Morgenlands, Sechsten Bandes erstes Heft, 1844.
Leitfaden zur nordishen Alterthumskunde, Copenhagen 1837,—P.
Danish.
Annaler for nordisk old kyndighed, 1840-41, vol. I. 1842, 1843.
Latin,
Lassen, (Chr) de Taprobane Insula, veteribus cognita, dissertatio. Bonae, 1842,—P,
Hindoostanee,
Rafiel Hishab, 1 vol.
vi Proceedings of the Asiatic Society.
Zend.
[Jan. 1845.
Framje Aspandiarjei; The Zaina of the Parsis with Guzarati translation, paraphrase, and com-
ment, 1843.
Sanscrit.
Yates, (W.) Nalayodaya by Kalidasa. Text and Translation. Calcutta, 1844, 1 vol.
Oriental Publications, &c. sold from the \st of January 1844, to the 3\st Decem-
ber, 1844. '
i Rs. As, Ps.
Mahabharata, vol. I. 6 copies, vol. II. 6 do., vol. IIT. 6do., vol. 1V. 7 do. .. he 260 0 0
Index to ditto, vol. I. 5 copies, vol. II. 5 do,, vol. III. 5do., vol. [V. 5 do. ... aa 20 0
Harriwansa, 9 copies, ... wae sce “8 ate a acs See 45 0 0
Raja Tarrangini, 7 copies, oes wee 20 ar a 0 vee 35 0 0
Naishada, 18 copies, ... con tes ocd a5 an occ xe 108 0 0
Sausruta, vols. I and II. 8 copies each. ... ies oe noc ere =5 64 0 0
Fatawe Alemgiri, vol. I. 2 copies, vol. II. 2 do., vol. III. 2 do., vol. VI. do., vol. V.
8 do., vol. VI.,8do. ... Ss ses ake ins ah nbc ans 248 0 0
Inaya, vols. 2-4. 2 copies each,... on “6 fr 75 “or 47 64 0 0
Khazanat ul Ilm ul Riazi, 6 copies, ... ee sh ade 48 0 0
Fawame ul Ilm ul Riazi, 6 copies, ig da aos “a0 ave : 24 0 0
Anis ul Musharrahin, 2 copies, os s Pf 10 0 0
Sharaya ul Islam, 4 copies, no one ALO aD ase eae 32 0.0
Epitome of the Grammar of the Beloochee languages, 1 copy, tee aes PA 100
Essay sur le Pali, 1 copy, Ae fee ne fas aie oe ane 3 0 0
Anthologia Sanscritica, 2 copies, ee cee ade eee ee ee tay At (0)
Géographie d’ Aboulfeda, 3 copies, Fon ase occ ca - 15 00
Macarius’s Travels, 1 copy, oo nce ace BS ies 5 40 0
Memoir of Jehanguire, 2 copies, on onc ee 000 06 5 8 0 0
History of the Afghans, 2 copies, aie oe nae Bee cee cD 10 6 0
Travels of Ibn Batuta, 1 copy, ... oss ie exe A eae is 6 0 0
Lassen’s Gita Govinda, 1 copy, ... xO soc on me se 28 0
Lassen’s Institutiones, 1 copy, ... ae x0 aa mae aa wae 6 0 0
Asiatic Researches, vol. 16. 1 copy, vol. 19. p. I. 1 copy, p. II. 2 copies, vol. 20 p. I
and II. 1 copy each.... A aes Soc ass ao oe 40 0 0
Asiatic Journal, 8 Nos. ses ave an A Fon = — 148 0
Total, Rupees, sas, O0G070) 0
ABSTRACT.
Account of the Oriental Publications delivered, sold, and in store, from 31st of July
1843, to December the 31st, 1844.
Mahabharata.
Vols. I. II.
Found, sce va ma .. Copies, 218 233
Delivered and Sold, 0 eee as 20 20
Balance, eh eae oes 198 233
Ii].
254
26
238
TY:
282
21
261
Jan. 1845.]
Found, ete see
Delivered and Sold, __...
Balance,
Found, aee one
Delivered and Sold,
Balance, ..
Found,
Delivered and Sold,
Balance,
t
Found, sua aco
Delivered and Sold, aco
Balance,
Found, ae wee
Delivered and Sold, ...
Balance,
Found,
Delivered and Sold, se
Balance,
Found, ... aa
Delivered and Sold,
Balance, ave
Found, E
Delivered and Sold, axe
Balance, coe
Found,
Delivered and Sold,
Balance, ae
A
Index to Mahabharata.
Vols.
.. Copies, 392
9
ooo eee
Harriwansa.
Raja Tarangini.
Naishada.
Sausruta,.
Sanscrit Catalogue.
Fatawe Alemgiri.
Vols.
n08 . Copies,
eee one ”
Inaya.
Khazanat ul Ilm.
12
Od:
Proceedings of the Asiatic Society.
Vil
hie II. III. IV.
396 392 323
73 73 73 18
320 323 829 305
: «. Copies, 469
. ” 20
449
S06 ... Copies, 275
” 10
265
aoc .. Copies, 197
30
aa 167
Vols. I. II,
.. Copies, 261 308
‘9 18 18
243 243
. Copies, 255
” 6
249
DS RIS une Ven Wore
hh Oe 76 118 129
22, 24 25 24
(9 So eon 9a 205
Molsamlle witli: TVs
». Copies, 35 28 30
ba 12) 22
23 16 18
... Copies, 385 |
caper 16 |
cee 369 |
viii Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Jan. 1845.
Fawane ul Ilm ul Riazi.
Foun “ oF eas a nae « Copies, 393
Delivered and Sold, oe ae ap “ne eee or 16
Balance, AG ee ae ose en) “377
Anis ul Musharrahin.
Found, aoe ane oe aoe oe «.. Copies, 316
Delivered and Sold, a0 an ss ane es Ap 12
Balance, aaa coc “0 Bee ce 304
Found, oor ses noo oe toe + Copies, 314
Delivered and Sold, me WP ee a ae 5h 16
Balance, dee cot ies “oO 298
Persian Catalogue.
Found, Nee ay: C09 ae “he ».. Copies, 238
Delivered and Sold, nae reo ox eee ars Hf 6
Balance, coe eee eee eos eve - 232
Asiatic Researches.
Vols. 3. 7. 8. 9, 12.. 12. 19. 14. 15. 16, 17..18,- 18. 18.1179, 192 49, 20. 20-20,
Found, . 39 13 2 1 5 30 47 56 98 213 69 151 46 26 96235 12 129-)41
Delyd; &;Sold, 30) 0, 05:0. 20-0 , 2s Shaye 2:0) On) A a Sie ed ae
3 13.2 21 5 29 46 55 96 212.6910) 45 25) (Somes dd 11277440
Tibetan Grammar.
Found, nee a as me are «. Copies, 208
Delivered and Sold, ee a0 wae soe see p 11
Balance, sak ees Sea Ss aes 197
Tibetan Dictionary.
Found, a Awe sae oor ae ... Copies, 205
Delivered and Sold, ase nee ee uae aoe Sp 11
Balance, eee =05 ee Ris one 194
Dictionarium Latino—Anamiticum.
Found, aes eee “er “cc cee «. Copies, 58
Delivered and Sold, sea Aas Ra Vie noe 40 11
Balance, 59 eae “co A060 ay 47
The Catalogue accompanying this letter was ordered to be published in the Pro-
ceedings, and upon the proposal of the President, seconded by the Secretary, it was
resolved, that a supplementary Catalogue, to comprise all the works received since
the last Catalogue of the Library was printed, be also prepared and printed.
Read the following letter also from the Librarian :—-
To H. Torrens, Esq., Secretary, Asiatic Society.
Sir,—I beg leave to inform you, that I can procure the second volume of Strange’s
‘‘Elements of Hindoo Law,’’ and the first volume of Crawford’s ‘‘ Indian Archi-
Jan. 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. ix
pelago at 8 and 5 rupees respectively. As the original price of Strange’s Elements is
1l rupees per volume, and of Crawford’s Indian Archipelago 8 rupees per volume,
will you authorize me to purchase those volumes for the Library, in order to complete
the above mentioned works.
I take this opportunity to submit to you the following list of valuable Oriental works,
which I would suggest should be purchased for the Library :—
1. Die Zigeuner in Europa and Asien, von Dr. A. T. Pott. Erster Theil. Halle.
1844.
2. Kammavakya, liber de officiis sacerdotum Buddhicorum. Police, Latine. Auct.
Fr. Spiegel.
. Chr. Lassen, Indische Alterthums-Kunde. Ersten Bandes erste Halfte.
. Panini’s Acht Biicher grammatischer Regeln, von Otto Bothlinck. 2 Bande.
3
“1
5. Radices Lingue Pracritice. Ed. N. Delius.
6: Radices lingue Sanscritice. Ed. N. L. Westergaard.
7. Bothlingk, (D.) Erster Versuch tiber den Accent im Sanscrit.
8. Die Declination im Sanscrit.
2)
. Unadi Affixe.
10. 5 Upanishads aus dem Yayur, Samu and Atharba-Veda. Herausgegeben von
L. Paley.
14th January, 1845. E. Rorr.
Resolved—That the Secretary and Librarian be authorized to purchase these
works as occasion may present. The work of Count Bijonsterna, entitled Theogony,
Cosmogony, and Philosophy of the Hindoos, wasalso specially ordered to be obtained
for the use of the Archzological Committee.
The Secretary presented specimen copies of Abdool Ruzzak’s work on Suffee
terms, edited by Dr. Sprenger, of which those half bound were considered the best
for the presentation copies.
The following note was read :—
My DEAR Six,—My friend Colonel Stacy of the 43rd Regt. having requested me to
make over to the charge of the Curator of the Asiatic Society the accompanying
ancient Hebrew MS., I have the pleasure to send it per bearer, and shall be fa-
vored by your acknowledging the receipt of it.
Ballygunge, \\th January, 1845. Ros. WRouGHTONe
The MS. to which it refers was handed to the Rev. Dr. Heeberlin, for exami-
nation and report.
Read the following letter and paper from the Secretary to the Government of Bom
bay:—
(No. 3656 of 1844.)
To the Secretary to the Asiatic Society of Calcutta.
General Department.
Sir,—I am directed by the Honorable the Governor in Council of Bombay to re-
quest the acceptance by the Asiatic Society of Calcutta, of the accompanving six
B
x Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Jan. 1845.
gold coins, discovered in the village of Heeolee in the Malwan Talooka of the Rut-
nagherry Collectorate, and at the same time to forward a copy of a descriptive me-
morandum by the Secretary to the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society.
Bombay Castle, 12th December, 1844. M. Escomsg,
Secretary to Government.
Notice by the Secretary of the Society on ten Hindie gold coins, found at the village
of Hewli in the Southern Konkan, and presented by Government; also on a collection
of gold Zodiac coins of the Emperor Jehangir.
The ten gold coins transmitted by Government, for the acceptance of the Society,
weigh each — grains, and have generally, on one side, the figure of a lion, with an in-
scription below on Telagu letters, Baliji Shri, which may be translated prosperity
to the Bali, and which are oblations of food offered, at the four cardinal points, to
Indra, god of the firmament, Yama judge of the dead, Varuna the ocean, and Soma
the moon:* ‘Two of the coins are hammered, and quite plain on one side; having
on the other, stamped symbols for the four preceding deities, indicated by letters,
among which I recognize the Telagu letter & standing for Yama, and the cave
ch for Soma. The centre symbol must therefore be intended for Vivaswa, or
the sun. On the reverse of six of the coins we find written within a circle the
word Rudra, a name for Siva ; and on another of them, the Trisul, or emblem of Siva,
with an inscription below in Deva Nagari or Shrimanya Devaya splaleaeara
to the prosperous god; this last is the newest of the series, and indicates the establish-
ment of the Saivite worship.
In the McKenzie collection of Hindoo gold coins, two of them are enumerated as the
Sinha Mudra Fanam, or the Fanam with the lion impression, without any further
information being given regarding them. These, and the ones now under considera-
tion, may, with much probability, be assigned to the successors of the Andhra kings of
Telingana, the Narapati sovereigns of Warangal; who appear to have been origi-
nally feudatories of the Chalukya kings of Kalyani. This family is known by the name
of the Kakataya princes of Warangal, who at the commencement of their career, in
the end of the eleventh century of our era, were Jains. Their original residence was
Anumakonda, from whence, sometime after Sal 1010, A. D. 1088, these princes remov-
ed to Warangal, which became their capital, and represented the chief Hindu state
of Southern India, till destroyed by the Mahomedans during the reign of Ghias-ad-din
Toghluk of Delhi, Hejirah 721, A. D. 1321. The then reigning Prince of Warangal
is called, in Colonel Brigg’s translation of Ferishta, Sudder Dew, being an evident
mistake for his real name Rudra Deva; whose possessions appear to have been
bounded on the North-west by those of Rama, Raja of Devagiri, the modern Daola-
tabad.
The coins now submitted for examination, having on the reverse the name of Rudra,
may have been struck during the reign of the prince just mentioned ; but there are
good grounds for assigning them a higher antiquity, or the beginning of A. D. 1100, as
at this time the second of the Kakataya princes of Warangal, named Rudra Deva,
adopted the Saiva in place of the Jain faith, and built many temples to Siva or Ma-
* See perpetual obligations of a householder in Wilson’s translation of the Vishnu Purana,
Quarto, p. 302.
Jan. 1845. ] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. Xi
hadeva, in order to expiate the crime of having killed his father. Only one decisively
Saivite coin appears in this collection, and is the most recent of the series; all the
others indicating the prevalence of the Jain practice of astrology, and the worship of
the Bali or Baliah, which are sidereal spirits.
(Signed, ) James Biro,
Secretary, Bombay Branch Royal Asiatic Society.
(True Copy, )
W. Escomes,
Secretary to Government.
The Sub-Secretary stated, that he had received from Dr. Mouat the following
letter, with the pamphlets therein alluded to. The pamphlets were ordered to be
distributed to the Members of the Committee.
My pear Pippineton,—Mr. Latter, just before leaving for Arracan, requested to
present the accompanying copies of his ‘ Note on Budhism’ to the Asiatic Society,
for the use of the Members of the Committee appointed to carry out the plans deve-
loped in the letter from the Honorable Court of Directors.
18th January. Frep. J. Movar.
Read the following letters ;-—
(No. 3076. )
From the Under-Secretary to the Government of Bengal, to H. Torrens, Esa. Vice
President and Secretary to the Asiatic Society, dated Fort William, \\th De-
cember, 1844,
Srr,—With reference to your letter of the 7th March last, recommending on the
part of the Asiatic Society, that certain books now in the Calcutta Public Library
should be transferred to the charge of the Society, | am directed to forward, for the
information of that body, the accompanying copy of a letter, dated the 4th ultimo, from
the Curators of the Library.
At the same time, I am instructed to intimate that, though in the opinion of the
Right Honorable the Governor, the existing arrangement cannot be fairly or properly
disturbed without the consent of both Associations, yet His Excellency is inclined to
think that, if the works in question are connected with Eastern Philology, they would
be better placed in the Library of the Asiatic Society, than in the Public Library.
A. TURNBULL,
Under Secretary to the Government of Bengal.
from the Curators of the Calcutta Public Library, to A. TurNBULL, Esq. Under
Secretary to the Government of Bengal.
Si1z,—I have the honor to acknowledge, on the part of the Curators, the receipt of
your letter, dated 15th April last, enclosing copy of a letter from the Vice President
and Secretary to the Asiatic Society, and requesting us to report, for the information
of Government, our willingness or otherwise to accede to the proposition for the transfer
of the books therein alluded to, from the Calcutta Public Library to that of the
Asiatic Society.
"
xii Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Jan. 1845.
We beg at the same time to apologize for the delay which, by some singular accident,
has occurred. With regard to the proposition of a transfer of the books, we beg to
State, for the information of the Hon’ble the Governor of Bengal, that the books
became the property of the Members of the Calcutta Public Library by a gift of the
Bengal Government, confirmed by the Hon’ble Court of Directors, under certain
engagements, which it is unnecessary at present to enter into, but which have been
always complied with. As books of reference, we beg to observe that they are far more
available to the public here than they can possibly be at the Library of the Asiatic
Society, from the number of our subscribers, and the popular form of our Institution
generally. I am, &c.
(Signed) G. T. MarsHatt, Curator,
Metcalfe Hail, Chairman of the monthly meeting of Curators.
4th Nov. 1844. (True copy, )
A. TURNBULL,
Under Secretary to the Government of Bengal.
Resolved—That the following gentlemen, viz. :—
Dr. Roer,
Dr. GANTHONY,
S. G. T. Heatrey, Esq.
and H. Torrens, Esq. as Secretary, be requested to form a Sub-Committee for
considering what interchange might take place between the Society and the Public
Library, as to duplicate works, without reference to subsequent arrangements.
Read the following letter addressed to the Geological Society of London, and it
was agreed that it would be proper to despatch at the close of every year, one of the
same tenor to every Society or Editor, whose works are regularly received by the
Society.
The Secretary, Geological Society of London.
Sir,—I am directed to acknowledge the due and regular receipt of your Transactions
and Proceedings by the Asiatic Society of Bengal, and to express to your Society our
best thanks for the same. Should any irregularity in the receipt of the Journal or
‘Transactions (Researches) of the Asiatic Society of Bengal occur, our London pub-
lishers and Agents, Messrs. Allen and Co., will readily explain or rectify it.
We have to request you will be good enough to transmit to them the numbers of
your Proceedings, noted on the other side, and your bill for them, as the most part have
probably been duly received by us, but are lost.
(Signed) H. TorRENs,
V. P. and Sec. Asiatic Society of Bengal.
Museum, 20th Jan. 1845.
Read the following extract of a letter from Captain Phayre, B. N. I. to the Se-
cretary, dated Sandoway, 2nd December 1844,
My pear Torrens,—lI hope, before long, that I shall be able to offer a treatise
on Burmese Astronomy, from the pen of the Rev. Mr. Stilson, a Missionary here,
Jan. 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. Xlil
who is fully competent to the task. 1 am sorry the coins (the Persian part of them)
are undecipherable ; the fact is, the inscriptions must have been cut by some ignorant
person in Arrakan, with a few Persian letters scrawled for the name of the thing. Are
the gold coins ( Elephant type) from Cheduba ?
Sandoway, December 2, 1844.
The Secretary presented a paper from J. Middleton, Esq. C. S,, being Observations
on the specific Gravity of sea-water, which was referred to the Editors of the
Journal for publication.
As it was already late, the President suggested that it might be advisable to call
a supplementary Meeting for such business as remained, and for the reports of the
Curators ; which was agreed to, and Saturday the 1st February being considered as
he most convenient day, it was named for that purpose.
For all the foregoing communications and contributions, the best thanks of the
Society were accorded.
Proceedings of the Supplementary Meeting.
As above noted, the Supplementary Meeting of the Society was held on the ist
February, at 74 p.m.—J. Fulton, Esq., Member Committee of Papers, in the Chair,
when the reports of the Curators were read as follows :—
Rervorrtor tHe Curator, Museum oF Economic Greotocy, AND GEOLOGICAL AND
Minerarocicat Departments, FOR THE Montu oF DecEMBER,
Geological and Mineralogical.—Our zealous and indefatigable contributor, Lieut.
Sherwill of the Behar Revenue Survey, has sent us a most valuable geological map of
Zillah Behar, with three chests containing upwards of 350 splendid sized specimens
of the various rocks and minerals, numbered to the localities marked on the map.
Lieut. Sherwill’s notes to accompany the specimens have not yet arrived, but I
have deemed it right to bring forward this magnificent contribution this evening, that
we may have the pleasure of thanking him, as he so richly deserves, at the earliest pos-
sible moment. If the Society think with me, I should deem it right that it should,
in such manner as may be thought proper, bring to the special notice of Government
this meritorious instance of an officer voluntarily adding so highly and so valuably to
his particular duties; of which we may, I think truly say, that there is no example
yet on record. Itmust not be forgotten, that the officers of the Revenue Survey have
no light task, and that this addition to our knowledge of his district has been made by
Lieut. Sherwill probably in the hours of relaxation and repose. I trust that his notes,
with what we can glean from Buchanan, will enable us to construct some good sec-
tions ; in which case, imperfect as they may, and as every thing short of a regular
geological survey, must be, it will still be the best geological notice of any separate
Zillah in India, and an invaluable example to others; one indeed, which [ feel assured
the Society will not allow to pass by without all the honour in its power to bestow
upon it.
I present now my detailed report on the Aerolite, presented by Captain J. Abbott,
which was exhibited at the October meeting. 1 have put it in the form of a paper for
|
XiV Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. (Jan. 1845.
the Journal, as these phenomena are of special interest at home on many accounts, and
our Aeroliteis of a very rare kind.
I mentioned in my former report, that we had written to the Collector of Candeish,
requesting his assistance in procuring further information of the Aerolite, and more
specimens if obtainable. I have now the pleasure of submitting his reply, which is as
follows. ‘The report will be incorporated with my paper.
H. Torrens, Esg. Secretary and Vice-President, Asiatic Society.
Sir,—I have now the pleasure to comply as far as in my power lies, with the request
contained in your letter of the 23rd November last, and to send you five pieces of the
Aerolite to which you allude, with a statement from the parties who witnessed the
fall of it.
If in this or any other matter 1 can be of service by furnishing information, or other-
wise forwarding the views of your Society, 1 beg you will freely command me.
Candeish, June 6, 1845. J. M. BELL,
Collector of Candeish.
P. S.—The fragments of the Aerolite have been sent by bangy post; I shall be
glad to hear that you have received them, and that they are of sufficient size to be of
value.
Captain Latter, 67th B. N. I. has presented us with a very beautiful collection of mi-
nerals, being 128 good sized specimens and from first-rate dealers, (Mawe or Tennant ? )
some of which will be handsome additions to our cabinet, and others serve to replace
inferior specimens or to shew varieties. Captain Latter has added to this very hand-
some donation a considerable number of Geological and Mineralogical specimens
from Algeria; including some of copper, from the lodes now working on the flanks of
the lesser Atlas by the French! and fossils, &c. from the desert between Suez
and Cairo.
We should also place on record the following extract ofa polite letter from Capt.
Baker, B. E., to whom I have written to say that we should be most obliged by any
thing from such a locality.
Secretary to the Asiatic Society of Calcutta.
Dear Sir, ;
I passed through Calcutta lately on my return from Scinde, and had hoped to pre-
sent to the Society some geological specimens from that country; unfortunately, how-
ever, my baggage had not arrived before I was obliged to leave, and it may even be
sometime before I have an opportunity of sending them.
On the arrival of my baggage, you will however receive two small boxes of fossils
from Lieut. Blagrave of the Sinde Survey.
28th December, \844. W. E. Baker, Capt. Engineers.
Museum of Economic Geology.—A specimen was handed to me at the meeting of
January, marked as ‘‘ a species of Asphaltum from the bed of the Namsay river near
Jeypore, Upper Assam, presented by Mr. F. C. Marshall.’’ It is unfortunately not
Asphaltum, which will be a great treasure wherever it is discovered in any accessible
locality in India, but cannel coal, apparently of a very fine quality. Our thanks are
nevertheless equally due to Mr. Marshall for his very kind attention, and we shall be
greatly obliged by specimens of everything he can send us; particularly if pitch-like or
Jan. 1845. ] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. XV
earthy-looking substances of any kind, which melt and burn, and if they also effervesce
with any acids, as strong vinegar or lime-juice, so much the better.
I have here also again the pleasure of referring to Lieut. Sherwill’s active kindness
in support of the objects of the Museum. I had written to him on the subject of the
Corundum recently found and presented by Dr. Rowe, and in reply he sends us a set
of specimens analagous to those which I had obtained from the bazar, but accompanied
by the following very interesting account of the specimens and mines; which last were
not known, 1| think, to exist in any locality north of the Nerbudda.
My pear Sir,—I have succeeded after some trouble in getting you specimens of
Corundum, from a locale little known to Europeans; they were obtained from a hill
in Lat. 24° 10’, Long. 83° 20’, about 20 miles S. W. from Vantaree, behind the
table-land of Rhotas, in a province known as Singrowlee. The mines are worked once
a year, when enough is worked out to supply the wants of the Mahajuns, who send
bullocks to convey itaway. From this spot the greater part of Western India is sup-
plied. The following Nos. apply to the Nos. on the specimens.
No. 1. Goolabee, named from its rose colour, is considered the best.
No. 2. Mussooreea, named from its colour, as resembling Mussoor-dal (ervum lens)
is 2nd in quality.
No. 3. Bhakra, from being of many colours, (greyish?) 3rd in quality.
No. 4. Teleeya, named from its resembling in colour, the seed of the ¢elee, 4th in
quality.
No. 5. Considered impure, being mixed with scales of Mica.
No. 6. Very impure, being mixed with crystals of (Zeolite ?*)
In a short time I hope to be able to goto the spot myself, when you shall have a
description of the place, rocks, &c. 1 think if you look amongst my Behar specimens
you will find some corundum of the Ist or Goolabee quality, about No. 250 or 240.
Legend attached to the quarrying of the Singrowlee Mine.
““The rock, by the permission of the gods, is for one day, and one day only in the
year, Corundum ; during the remaining 364 days the rock is mere rock and of no earth-
ly use.’? This is rather a clever story of the owner of the quarry! I should like
very much to hear if you do find any Corundum amongst my Behar specimens.
W.S. SHERWILL.
We received some time ago from Captain Williams the following letter and notice,
with the small fragments (of a few grains in weight only) referred to in it.
H. Pippineron, Esa. Assistant Secretary to the Asiatic Society of Calcutia.
My pear Sir,—I have had the pleasure to receive your letter regarding the Vol-
cano near this place, and | will not fail to collect specimens of the stones, earth, &c.
&c., on, and all around the hill, and send them up in the ‘‘ Amherst.’’
As you have kindly offered me your services, I take the liberty of sending you four
bits of stones sent out to me by a brother by tlre last Overland, who obtained them
from a private in H. M. 4th Dragoons. It (the stone) is celebrated for its virtues in
cleaning bridle bits, &c. and my brother wishes me to collect a quantity for him ; but
what the stone is, or where to be had, I am unable to find ont, and shall feel obliged by
your informing me. It appears from the Dragoon’s memorandum that the natives of
India (for he got it in this country) make idols of it. I fear the Dragoon is an old
* These are Fibrolite in small radiated nests.
XVi Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Jan. 1845.
soldier, and older traveller, and is imposing on my countrymen the untravelled Welsh.
Please to return the stones.
Yours faithfully,
Kyook Phyoo, 14th July, 1844. D. Wittiams.
The following Memorandum accompanied Major Williams’s letter :—
Direction for polishing Iron and Steel.
‘« Take about two drams of Samy stone, put in a mortar, powder it as fine as possible,
then put iton aslabstone, or what painters do mix their paint on, then rub it down
with sweet oil, (N. B.—The best of oil,) until it be as fine as milk, the finest the best.
Then take a new piece of strong cloth or thick flannel, then soak it with the above
mixture. Rub your irons with it; afterwards take fine shamois’ leather with rotten
stone or whitening and chalk, and it will show the highest polish ever known. The
same rag will last six months without failing. Never attempt to put fresh stuff on the old
rag, for the stuff will remain on the rag as long as it may last if taken care of. Keep
it from wet and strong heat.
‘* Samy stone is found in several places in the East Indies, but the best we found is at
Bombay, and most plentiful; we paid from 1-3 to 2-6 of English money per pound for
itin Indias The inhabitants makes idols of it of different figures, and paints it in red.
There is none to be got in England, except what is in our troop; you can get some
home ii you know any person in India, or a sailor that trades to that country, as it may
be sent or bought without duty, &c. There is several grooms in England that had
some home after they had the receipt from us. For the above receipt I had five
peunds, never gave it before under ten rupees; 1 have sent you two small pieces, and
you can try one for experience, the other you may keep to prove what you may get
again: my stock is getting very short at present, else I should send you more of it.
Received 5 shillings.
Newcastle, March 28th, 1844. H. Ha tu, 4th V. O. ZL. D.’’
As far as could be ascertained, from the small splinters I ventured to detach from the
minute specimens sent, there is no doubt that the stone is a variety of Pagodite, which is
almost all which can be pronounced of it now. I have carefully kept the remainder for
comparison, and indeed have deferred reporting my examination of it, in the hope thatsome
of the many persons to whom | have written would have been able to discover what this
Samy stone—evidently Swamy (God) stone—is; but hitherto, I have heard of nothing
approaching toit. The question nevertheless is of much interest, for the art of polish-
ing metals is often one of high importance ; and the use of an intermediate sub-
stance between the coarse polish of the Corundum or emery, brick or porcelain dust
and the finishing effect of the rotten stone, as here described, is worth attention. ‘The
use of the common steatite in polishing, and as an anti-attrition ingredient has been
long known; but the whole phenomena of polishing substances, and their effects on re-
flecting surfaces have yet been so little studied, that it is always proper that due weight
be given to any fact which may lead to a useful practice.
The Secretary stated, that the suggestion of the Curator, respecting Lieut. Sherwill’s
labours, had been also mentioned at the regular Meeting, and fully approved of;
it was resolved, a letter should be addressed to Government as proposed.
Proceedings of the Asiatic Society for the month of Fesruary, 1845.
The Monthly Meeting of the Society was held at the Rooms, on Tuesday
evening, the 25th of February, at half-past seven vp. wm. S. G. T, Heatly,
Esq., in the chair.
The following report was read by the Secretary, being that of the preli-
minary Meeting of the Committee of Papers for the despatch of business.
Secretary's Memorandum for the Meeting of 25th February, 1845.
An Oordoo novel, by Mr. J. Corcoran, written to exemplify the capacity and power
of that elegant Vernacular language, and on which I was enabled to report favourably,
philologically speaking, is recommended by the Committee of Papers to the patronage
of the Society, by a subscription for fifteen copies, at four rupees twelve annas each.
The Committee will examine further as to whether this work is worthy, on the whole,
of being recommended as a school-book, for which its author intended it.
Resolved—That fifteen copies should be subscribed for, and the work further exa-
mined.
I have received and laid before the Committee a valuable suggestion by that eminent
Oriental schelar, Dr. A. Sprenger, for the commencement of the publication of a Biblio-
theca Asiatica, or a series of standard works in Eastern languages, edited and transla-
ted under the superintendence, and at the cost, of the Society. This useful undertaking,
projected nearly forty years ago, isnow revived; and as the Committee are in a position
to assure the Society that they can command copious and valuable material for its
commencement, they strongly recommend to the Society that the proposition be enter-
tained, and that they be empowered to direct their attention to the subject, and report
as early as they can what measure can be taken in furtherance of the undertaking.
Ordered—That the further report of the Committee be awaited, the Society acknow-
ledging the expediency of the suggestion, and thanking Dr. Sprenger for it.
A letter from Government having been received, with copies of communications
from Capt. Marshall, Secretary to the Sanscrit College, and a Mussulman printer by
name Abdoolla, sometimes called Molvee Abdoolla, well known to the Society, re-
specting the printing of the Musnuvee Roomee, 1 have been instructed to submit a
note on the subject to the Committee, as the opinion of the Society is requested by
Government as to the proposed printing of the work which had already, as noted by me,
been suggested to us. A detailed report will be made at our next Meeting.
Cc
WRAY) m0»
ee A. RE
XVili Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Fes. 1845.
Resolved—That the report be received, and discussed at the next Meeting.
I am directed to state to the Society, that the Committee of Papers have recorded an
opinion as to the hour of meeting of the Society, not in consonance with the note of the
meeting before last. It was then decided, that the hour should be half-past Seven;
the large majority of the Committee incline decidedly to the old hour of half-past
Eight p.m. The opinion of these gentlemen necessarily carries so much weight with
it, that the minority desire the question to be re-submitted for your consideration.
Resolved—That the next Meeting be held at 3 past 8, experimentally, and the ques-
tion then be considered open for discussion.
A letter from Mr. Ince, Superintendent of Salt Chokees, on some of the salt springs
in the Chittagong district, to my address, has been referred, with the thanks of the
Committee, to our Geological Curator.
A set of lithographs of some of the Cave Temples of the Dukhan, by James
Fergusson, Esq., presented by his brother, W. Fergusson, Esq., have been duly re-
ceived, and the handsome donation richly merits your thanks.
A letter from Captain Crommelin, with note of despatch of Geological specimens
from Darjeeling.
A letter from Mr. A. Campbell of Darjeeling, forwarding an interesting account of
a new Thibetan antelope, with remarks on the Zoology of Thibet.
Reports from Government respecting the recent supposed Sub-marine Volcano on
the coast of Arracan, in reply to our letter, suggesting enquiry on this subject.
Valuable geological notes across the Peninsula of India, by Capt. Newbold of the
Madras Army, have been referred to the Geological Curator, and ultimately held avail-
able for our Journal.
Observations on the rate of evaporation in the open sea, with notice of an instrument
used in indicating its amount, by J. W. Laidley, Esq.
A memorandum on the old bed of the river Soane and site of Palibothra, by S. C.
Ravenshaw, Esq. C. S., has been received by me, and will be held available for the
Journal, the thanks of the Society being due to its author.
For the above, the thanks of the Society were voted.
We have received a gratifying letter from the Honorable Secretary to the Royal
University of Christiana, acknowledging the receipt of some of our contributions, ad-
vising us of the proximate despatch of various objects for our Museum, and couched
in terms expressive of the Satisfaction of that learned body at finding itself in that con-
stant communication with us, which it will be not less to our credit than to our advane
tage to foster and encourage to the best of our ability.
I have also to submit the epitaph to be placed on the tomb of our lamented friend,
Csomo De Korosi, as approved by the Committee.
.
Fes. 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society.
Hq. J.
ALEXANDER CSOMA DE KOROSI,
A NATIVE OF HUNGARY,
WHO, TO FOLLOW OUT PHILOLOGICAL RESEARCHES,
RESORTED TO THE EAST,
AND AFTER YEARS PASSED UNDER
PRIVATIONS, SUCH AS HAVE BEEN SELDOM ENDURED,
AND PATIENT LABOUR IN THE CAUSE OF SCIENCE,
COMPILED
A DICTIONARY AND GRAMMAR OF THE THIBETAN LANGUAGE,
HIS BEST AND REAL MONUMENT.
ON HIS ROAD TO H’LaAssA TO RESUME HIS LABOURS
HE DIED AT THIS PLACE
ON THE llTH apRIL, 1842.
AGED 44 YEARS.
HIS FELLOW LABOURERS,
THE ASIATIC SOCIETY OF BENGAL,
INSCRIBE THIS TABLET TO HIS MEMORY.
REQUIESCAT IN PACE.
J. Weaver, Sculpt. Caicutta,
ee a Cae S765
;
XX Proceedings of the Astatic Society. [Fes. 1845.
Thefstab with this inscription has been despatched to Darjeeling, to our fellow
labourer and associate, Dr. Campbell, Superintendent at that station.
The two following letters from Mons. Eugene Burnouf, of the Asiatic Society of Pa-
ris, and from Count Scopoli, Secretary to the Academy of Verona, have received the
attention they merit in due course; Mr. Heatly having charged himself with obtaining
the eggs of the Phalena required by the latter Society.
H. Torrens,
V. P. and Secy. As. Soc.
Note.—The following letter from Lieut.-Col. Ouseley, I publish at his desire, clear-
ing up a mistake which would seem to have occurred respecting the survey of the
Nurbudda river, published in a recent number of the Society’s Journal. I need only
add, that Lieut.-Col. Ouseley, has placed the remainder of the map at the disposal of
the Society, and that it will be lithographed for speedy publication.
H. Torrens,
V. P. and Secy. As. Soc.
My pear S1r,—I observe in No, CLI. of the Journal, a map of the Nerbudda,
forwarded with Mr. A. Shakespear’s letter. 1 find that Mr. Shakespear has remarked
in a note, page 497, ‘‘ The original survey is not tobe found on record, Capt. Ouseley
appears only to have submitted the result of it with his opinions.’’
This is written without reference to the map itself, which is actually that done by
me, (from the Devnaguree original) every word of which is written in my own hand,,.
and certified by me in the map, which is reduced, as mentioned by the lithographer,
to one-fourth.
As L had a great deal of trouble in making it, it gives me much pleasure to see it
where it is. The survey, at considerable expense to the Government, was only sanc-
tioned by Lord William Bentinck on my repeated representation.
I have the original sketch, and the only copy I made for the Government is that
from which Mr. Smith reduced the one now presented to the public. I mean to have
it lithographed over again, as the most valuable part is left out, and the eastern course
of the river beyond Babye, that part on which the coal and iron mines are situated,
which minerals will I trust be the means of creating the most surprising and beneficial
changes in the country, in supplying material for a grand trunk rail line across
India. ;
May I request the favor of your giving this letter a place in the next Journal.
I am, my dear Sir,
Yours very faithfully,
Calcutta, 22nd February, 1845. J. R. Ousevey.
To the Vice President and Secretary of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, at Calcutta.
Sir,—I have had the honor of receiving your letter, dated the 13th August, this year,
and I think it my duty to lose no time in answering the same. It is about a fortnight
since the Royal University of this town received two boxes of tinned iron, containing
a collection of ornithological preparations and other objects of Natural History,
some Indian coins, and a catalogue of books and manuscripts in the Indian languages,
belonging to the Asiatic Society. We have also in July last, received a parcel with
seeds, like another which arrived about a year ago. The Senatus Academicus has
Fre. 1845. | Proceedings of ihe Asiatic Society. xxi
resolved with respect to these different presents, to return its best thanks in a letter to
the learned Society, and to accompany the same with a collection of different objects
belonging to the Natural History of these northern countries, viz. zoological prepara-
tions, plants, minerals and seeds, as also with a collection of books, being a continua-
tion of the works already sent. These things, the arrangement of which has been
left to the care of the undersigned, are partly ready to be sent ; what is still wanting
will be collected during the next winter, and sent off with the first opportunity in
March 1845.
The University at Christiania looks upon the existing scientific intercourse with the
honored Society, as very interesting to both institutions, and will do any thing in its
power to continue the same. The University Council, or Senatus Academicus, will
also declare this in its above-mentioned letter, but I have thought it right to mention
it in this preliminary notification. Books or any other things than the above-mentioned
have not been received from your Society ; as soon as any thing arrives, I shall have
the pleasure of announcing it.
Sir Charles Tottie, the Norwegian, and Swedish Consul General at London, will for-
ward any box or parcel for the University of Norway, directed to his care. Captain
Bownevie of the Norwegian Navy at Rungpore, to whom we are indebted for the exist-
ing intercourse between the two institutions, has also always shown the greatest wil-
lineness in forwarding scientific objects to this University. In conclusion I have also
to state, that your letter, dated 20th May last, (which arrived at the end of last month, )
has been communicated to all the professors whom it concerns.
Sir, your obedient servant,
C, Hoist,
Secretary of the Royal University at Christiania.
Christiania, the 24th October, 1844.
M. U. Pippineton, Secretaire adjoint de la Socicte Asiatique du Bengale.
Monsieur.—Le départ de Mr. Mohl, notre Secrétaire du Conseil ma laissé le soin
de vous remercier au nom de la Société de la peine que vous avez bien voulu prendre
de nous informer de la mort si regrettable du savant Ramcomul Sen. II sera bien
regretté de la Société qui savait les services qu’il a rendus aux lettres et 4 la civilisa-
tion en général en composant son excellent dictionnaire Anglais et Bengali. C’est
aussi pour nous une perte, parceque nous pourrons difficilement retrouver un correspon-
dant aussi instruit et aussi zélé.
Mr. Mohl, 4 son prochain retour, doit s’entretenir avec vous de cet objet, et il vous
rendra compte de la vente des Livres de votre Société que nous avons placés a Paris.
Excusez la forme un peu courte de cette lettre. Igorant exactement le nom et les
titres de Hurremohun Sen, que nous n’avons pu bien lires j’ai cru pouvoir inclure la
lettre que nous lui adressons dans ce court billet. Je vous serais bien reconnaissant
d’y faire mettre son adresse exacte.
Votre bien dévoué serviteur,
24 October, 1844. Eugl. BurNour.
A la Société Asiatique, Calcutta.
Les rémarques faites par M. M. Helfer et Ugon sur les phalénes, dont aux Indes on
tire la soie, ont excite l’attention de cette académie, et le plus vif desir d’avoir des
oeufs de l’espéce Cynthia, puisqu’ on cultive ici le Ricinus dont les feuilles nourissent ses
Xxii Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Frs. 1845.
vers producteurs, c’est vrai, d’un tissu soierie qui n’est pas fin, mais qui peut étre utile
a certaines manufactures. L’education ailleurs de ces vers se ferait dans notre province
dans un tems presque tout 4 fait libre d’autres travaux agricoles. C'est pourtant 4 la
Société Asiatique qu’on ose s’adresser pour avoir les nouveaux ceufs, et on éspére qu’
elle acucillera cette prfere avece le méme intéret, qu’elle donne aux progrés des sciences
dans les vastes etablissement Brittaniques, en Asie, qu’elle nous fait connoitre sous tous
le rapports. L’ amour du savoir, et le noble plaisir des répandre les connoissances
utiles, rapprochent les plus grandes distances, et font une seule famille parmi ceux qui
sont capables de viser 4 l’un et de gouter l’autre. Si jamais cette academie pouvait
étre honoreé de quelque commission par un Societé dont elle reconnait la supériorité,
elle en serait non seulement reconnoissante mais orgueilleuse.
Le Secretaire perpétuel,
Jean Comte Scopoli; Jadis Conseiller d’ etat,
Veronne, le 10 Aout, 1838. et directeur général de |’ instruction publique,
dans le Royaume d’ Italie.
Read the following—
BRevort or THE Curator, Museum or Economic Groiocy, AND GEOLOGICAL AND
MineraLocicaL DeparRTMENTS, FoR THE Montu oF January, 1845.
Captain J. H. Low, B.N. I., has presented us with some fine specimens of lava
Ue Aes aod aac Pal Bea and capillary obsidian, and some of sulphur from the
i an e 1 ° © : a
pene ‘ voleano of Killauea* in the Island of Hawaii, and some
volcanic specimens from Manilla: his letter is as follows :—
H. Pippineton, Esq.
My pear Sir,—l beg to present to the Asiatic Society the following specimens
brought from the grand volcano of Killauea in the Island of Hawaii, four pieces of la-
va, six pieces of sulphur, and some capillary glass; also two tapas or native cloths, and
a skull of some animal which I picked up at the spot where the bones of the celebrat-
ed navigator Capt. Cook were buried, being about one mile from the spot where he was
killed. Should you wish for it, I can send you some specimens collected by me at the
volcano, in the lake de Taal de Bonbon, in Luconia, about 50 miles from Manilla. It
may be interesting, sending a small bit of the rock on which Cook fell at Korakaruah
Bay, which I broke off. Had you not access to better information relating to the
Sandwich Islands than I could give, I should be happy to give my mite.
No. 5, Garstin’s Buildings, 16th January. J. H. Low.
My pear Sir,—I have the pleasure to send you some specimens from Manilla, or
rather the large piece I picked up in an extinct crater, which is at present a small
lake, close on the margin of the great lake in Luconia. The spot on which I picked
up this specimen, is a lake evidently filled from the great lake ; it occupies the
sunken summit of the hill, densely clothed with timber, only one mile from the hot
bath, which 1 found on keeping the Therm. for sometime in it to rise to 170° Faht.
The smaller specimens I collected at the volcano in the Island in the lake de Taal
de Bonbon. The ignorance of the people in Manilla was such that they wanted to
* Killauea in MSS. No doubt Kirauea of Mr, Ellis and other travellers,--H. P.
Fes. 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. XXiii
persuade me the Island: had been formed within fifty years, and was only of mud, I
picked up these specimens. Although within 60 miles of Manilla, such is the in-
formation to be obtained there. I send you also a bonnet from the Sandwich Islands,
such as worn by the native ladies there, and made by them.
J. H. Low.
The following Diary accompanies the specimens referred to in it, from ihe Hot
Springs of Chittagong.
My pear Mr. Torrens,—I will now endeavour to give you some account of my
travels, but fear it will prove but an imperfect one. On the 9th of this month I reached
Seetakoond, where I began my inquiries about the springs, and the next day visited the
nearest. I left my tent a little after 11 a. m., and was soon obliged to leave my palkee
behind. A walk of little more than half an hour over the bed of what must be an awful
torrent during the rains, brought me to the spring; it is raised a little above the bed of
a small nullah, which branches off from the torrent bed: the spring is about eight feet by
six, and not more than a foot and a half deep; in three or four places the water rises in
small bubbles : it is quite cold and beautifully clear; it is nearly double the strength of
common sea-water. The great drawback is the difficulty of approach. The spring has
no particular name, but is known by the Pergunnah in which it is situated—Pan-
taseelah; beyond it and in a continuation of the road 1 went, (if it can be so called)
is the Doburrea or Dobie Kedallah or Pass, which goes direct through the hills and
is said tohave been cut by a Dobie. I struck off from the main road at a village called
Yakoobnuggur. I believe, I am the first European who has ever visited this spring.
On the 11th 1 went on to near Jeygopal’s hauth, and then left the main road, from which
in about half an hour I reached the famous spring called Nabboo Luckee, the distance
being about two miles, rather more. This road is generally good, but over the tor-
rent bed, which is much the same as the other; the rush of water must however be
greater in the rains, and during that season the people who attend at the spring are
obliged to make use of a narrow foot path over the hills ; it is situated on a rising ground
of about 8 or 10 feet above the bed of the stream, a temple is erected over it, and I had
to descend about half a dozen steps. ‘The pucka part round the spring is about three
feet square, and not more than three feet deep; on the right hand side is a small place
raised about a foot and a half above the other parts, but communicating with the
spring, and from the hole marked A, in my sketch, a flame issues, which is constantly
fed with ghee; conceiving that there might be some tricking I made them put the
light to the hole marked B, when a beautiful blue flame issued, such as would not
have been caused by ghee alone; on the left hand is a spout, which goes through the
temple wall into the spring, and through which is a constant flow of the water; within
the spring is a sound resembling the grow/ of a dog, repeated about every second,
when a large bubble rises to the surface, and bursts a few yards to the left; and a
little above the bed of the torrent is another spring, called Duddee Koond, bubbling
up in the same manner as the first I saw ; the water of the three is of the same strength.
On the 14th, I set off to visit Soorjoo Koond, but there was so much uncertainty about
the distance and exact spot, that I was induced to try the strength of the water about
half a mile from the main road, and found it about one-third less in strength than the
other springs. 1 then went to the one considered by the natives as the most holy; it
Be on i
XXiV Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [ Fes. 18435.
is called Boolooa Koond. The greater part of the road is excellent, being cut from
the side of the hills; the spot on which the spring is situated is considerably elevated
above the plain, but the ascent is very gradual, the hills are thickly covered with
jungle, amongst which appears the wild plantain. On arriving at the foot of the
spring, I had to mount some twenty steps; at the top were several temples, the prin-
cipal one covering the spring, which they told me was fathomless. A small place is
raised at the side, the same as at Nubboo Luckee, from which issues a flame well fed
with ghee; through the lower hole opening from the surface of the spring, a flame is
constantly coming out and running a short distance on the water, but goes out again
immediately. I have no doubt the ghee has something to do with it; the water is fresh
with a slight sulphurous smell and taste; but to enable you to form a better idea of
it than I can give, I send by my friend Major Troup, two small boxes to your address,
one containing three bottles of water from the Nubboo Luckee and Boolooa Koond,
and one taken up about half a mile from the main road, and which is said to come
from Soorjoo Koond, and other springs, both salt and sweet; but I was afraid to re-
main out any longer, lest I might lose my travelling allowance, and I could not
afford that. The other box contains large and small pebbles, a kind of unformed
slate, and some gravelly earth taken from the bed of the torrent, and a small piece
of coal which I picked up on the edge of the stream running from the Soorjoo
Koond; a small bottle of Kurkutch from the Soorjoo Koond water, and some salt
which I can hardly venture to call pangah, it was from the Nubboo Luckee water
filtered through some salt earth I brought from the spring; I must leave you to decide
what it is.
RoseErt Ince.
P. S. I find that I have expended all the Soorjoo Koond water, so that you will find
only two quart bottles. The whole of these places are, I conceive, of volcanic origin,
for small flames are to be seen in many places, issuing from the ground. 1 regret much
now that I could not visit any of them, but hope to do so when I again go in that
direction.
Through Captain Duncan, B. E., we have received from Lieut. T. C. Blagrave of
that corps, now in Scinde, two boxes containing fossils (mostly shells, ) and one contain-
ing fish preserved in salt, together with a large fossil shell from Roree, by Captain W,
E. Baker, Engineers.
These fossils are of very great interest, and in connection with the geological spe-
cimens promised us by Captain Baker, will no doubt throw light on the geology of
that new country; but we have as yet no note of the localities in which the fossils
and shells were collected.
We received from Captain Williams, our active correspondent at Kyook Phyoo, the
following letters, giving an account of a remarkable appearance seen at sea from that
and other of the Arracan stations.
H. Pippineton, Esg., Sub-Secretary, Asiatic Society of Bengal.
My pear Sir,—Yesterday evening, at between 5 and 6 o’clock, as we were taking
our ride, we were alarmed by an extraordinary appearance far out at sea, as if a vessel
was on fire: the reflection of the flame was made on a dark bank of clouds, west of the
station, on the track of ships from hence to Calcutta: it flickered several times as if
Fr. 1845. ] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. XXV
the fire had been got under, and after lasting about 16 or 20 minutes (say,) suddenly
went out. Various are the conjectures: I thought it was the reflection of the sun from
below the horizon, but the sudden light of flame was too brilliant, and unsteady to be
the sun’s light; electricity in the cloud was stated to be the cause, but this is not a
season for such cause: ‘‘ a ship is on fire,’’ many said; but this morning the prevailing
opinion is, that a volcanic eruption has taken place 20 miles out at sea, similar to
what I reported as having taken place near Chedooba. The argument against its
having been a ship on fire is, that the flame shewing so brilliant and so great a light
could not be so suddenly extinguished as this was, the dark bank of clouds may have
been formed of the smoke of the volcano. 1 hope some further information than what
is obtained from mere conjecture will be gained, which I will not fail to communicate
to you. The Amherst is said to have left, or was to leave Calcutta yesterday, so she
cannot be far enough out to see it.
D. WILLIAMs.
P. S.—A small comet was also seen at the same time as the fire, which soon set; it
was situated a little south of the supposed volcanic eruption.
We shall see the comet of course this evening, and I will write by next date.
D. W.
Kyouk Phyoo, 3rd January, 1845.
My pkaR Sir,—As I was at a distance from the beach when the fire appeared
last evening, Ensign Hankin of the 66th N. I. has most kindly given me a description
of what he saw and heard, and I have the pleasure to enclose it, to be laid before the
Society.
Kyouk Phyoo, 3rd January, 1845. D. WILLiAMs.,
Major Wittiams, Kyouk Phyoo.
My pear WiLuiiAMs,—I have complied with your request for a description of
the extraordinary phenomenon witnessed here last night, but Iam afraid in a very
imperfect manner.
G. HaNkKIN.
On the night of the 2nd of January 1845, between the hours of 6 and 7, a very in-
teresting and singular phenomenon was observed off the coast of Kyouk Phyoo. The
sky on the horizon was observed to brighten up as when illumined by the rays of the
setting sun, excepting that the light more resembled the flickering ofa fire than the gra-
dual descent of that luminary. It continued in this way for half an hour or so, when
all of a sudden immense volumes of flame were seen to issue, as it were from the depths
of the ocean, presenting the most sublime yet awful spectacle to the beholders.
The general idea entertained, was, that a ship had caught fire ; but this was soon dis-
pelled by a low continuous rumbling, which seemed to sound from the bowels of the
earth, and was re-echoed by the surrounding hills. Previous to this, however, Capt.
Howe, the marine superintendent, had with the greatest promptitude set off in H. C.
D
fi
Hii. i’.
oe ea oo ©
.
XXVi Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Fes. 1845.
Schooner “ Petrel,’’ intending to render assistance to the supposed unfortunates of
the burning ship; he returned without seeing any thing, and it is thought that the
whole was the result of some hidden volcanic agency ; one of the neighbouring hills
possessing that extraordinary property, and from which flames have been seen to issue
before. The weather at the time was still and serene, hardly a breath disturbed the
air: it was in fact, as some one observed, a very earthquaky day.
Kyouk Phyoo, 3rd January, 1845.
I wrote immediately to Captain Paterson of the H. C. S. Amherst, then in the
river, to enquire if he had any knowledge of this phenomenon, and his answer is as
follows :—
My pear Mr. Pippineton,—The appearance of the eruption of a volcano took
place some days before we reached Arracan. I heard of it from several parties when I
got there. The bearings were taken by the following gentlemen: by Capt. Howe at
Kyouk Phyoo, by Capt. Siddons at Akyab, and by Capt. Watson, commanding
the Govt. Schooner “Spy,’’ off St. Martin’s Isle to the North. As I did not receive a
very correct account, but understood that it was officially seat up, I did not trouble
myself further than to enquire in what direction it took place. From all I can now
remember, by the bearings, it was about fifteen miles to the South of the ‘‘ Western
Balongo,’’ near which is a Shoal patch of Coral; the least water I ever found was ele-
ven fathoms. Lloyd and Ross in the Chart lay down seven fathoms. It seems to have
alarmed some of the people at Kyouk Phyoo, but if you require further information,
the whole of the officers of the 66th N. Infantry that saw it are encamped on the plain
below the Fort.
J. PATERSON.
As it was important that time should not be lost, the following letter was addressed
to Government, under the direction of our Secretary.
F. Haxtuipay, Esa., Secy. to Govt. of Bengal.
Sir,—By direction of the Committee of Papers of the Asiatic Society, I have the
honor to submit the accompanying extracts of letters from Captain Williams, Ist As-
sistant to the Commissioner of Arracan, and from Ensign Hankin, giving details
of a curious phenomenon seen at sea; which, by these accounts, and those collected by
Captain Paterson, H. C. S. Amherst, were probably occasioned by the eruption of a
sub-marine volcano.
As this may also have given rise to a new Island or a shoal, as was the case off False
Island in August 1843, where a new Island appeared, but sunk shortly afterwards, the
Committee respectfully suggest that orders might be given to Captain Paterson, on
the approaching voyage of the Amherst, to examine the spot ; as in amere hydrogra-
phical point of view, as well as the geological interest of such phenomena, the know-
ledge, even of any alteration of the soundings, must be of much public interest.
H. Torrens,
Vice President and Secretary, Asiatic Society.
Fes. 1845. ] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. XXVli
In reply to which we have received the following with an official report.
(No. 450.)
From the Under Secretary to the Government of Bengal, to the Vice President and
Secretary, Asiatic Society, dated Fort William, 12th February, 1845.
Marine,
Str,—I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, without date, submit-
ting extracts from letters, regarding the eruption of a sub-marine Volcano, seen from
Kyouk Phyoo, and conveying the suggestion of the Committee of Papers of the Asia-
tic Society, that Captain Paterson, on the approaching voyage of the ‘‘ Amherst’’ to
that station, may be instructed to examine the spot with a view of ascertaining the ef-
fects that may have been thereby produced.
2. The Acting Superintendent of Marine having also forwarded a correspondence
referring to the Volcanic eruption in question, I am directed, in reply, to forward copies
of these documents; from which it will be observed that, under the orders of the Com-
missioner of Arracan, all that is necessary has been done, but that no ascertained effect
has been produced by the eruption, and that the soundings on the Arracan Coast con-
tinue as heretofore.
Crecit BEADON,
Under Secretary to the Government of Bengai.
(No. 366.)
From Lieut.-Colonel A. Irvine, C. B., Acting Superintendent of Marine, to the Right
Honorable Sir Henry Harpines, G. C. B, Governor of Bengal, dated Fort
William, the 24th January, 1845.
Ricgut Hon’sceE Sirk,—I have the honor to submit, for your honor’s information, the
Copy of a Letter, No. 8, correspondence noted in the margin, referring to a grand Vol-
dated the 14th January, : *
1845, from the Commission- Canic eruption, seen from Kyouk Phyoo.
er of Arracan, with enclosure,
2nd, No ascertained effect has been produced by this Volcanic eruption, and the
soundings on the Arracan Coast remain as before; but the occurrence seems sufli-
ciently interesting to be reported, and if it meets with your honor’s approval, I
would forward copies of the correspondence to the Asiatic Society for record,
Fort William, Mar. Supdt.’s Office, (Signed) A. IRVINE,
the 24th January, 1845. Acting Supt. of Marine.
XX Vili Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Fers. 1845.
(No. 8.)
From Capt. A. Bogie, Commissioner in Arracan, to Lieut.-Col. A. Irving, C. B.
Superintendent of Marine, Fort William, dated Kyouk Phyoo, the 14th January,
1845.
Srr,—A very grand Volcanic eruption having been observed N. N. W. of Kyouk
Phyoo, a little after sun-set on the evening of the 2nd instant, I directed Mr. Howe,
Marine Assistant, to proceed to the supposed spot for the purpose of ascertaining whe-
ther any rocks had been thrown up or any change had taken place in the soundings ;
I have the honor to annex copy of his report, by which it appears that he has not been
able to discover any alteration whatever.
2nd. I also annex extract from a report from Mr. H. B. Weston, commanding the
“¢ Spy,’’ who saw the eruption off the Asseerghur Shoal ; it was also seen from Akyab,
and I would observe that the bearing taken by Mr. Weston at sea, by Mr. Howe at
Kyouk Phyoo, and by the officers at Akyab, place it in 19° 42’ 15” N. latitude, and
93° 4' 45" E. longitude, bearing S. 3 E. from S. end of Western Borongo.
3rd. On Mr. Weston’s way down to this post, he sounded carefully for indications of
the Volcano, but without effect; and since he arrived, the ‘‘ Tenasserim’’ steamer
with the ‘‘ Amherst’’ in tow, must have passed near to it, without observing any change
in the soundings.
4th. Mr. Weston will, however, be directed to make further search in the course of
his cruising.
5th. I may add, that a small comet made its appearance in the S. W. on the same
evening that the eruption occurred, and has been visible every night since.
Arracan, Comm.’s Office, (Signed) A. Bocts,
Kyouk Phyoo, the 14th January, 1845. Commissioner in Arracan.
(True copy,)
(Signed) James SUTHERLAND, Seeretary.
Fort William, Mar. Supdt.’s Office, the 24th January, 1845.
(No. 4.)
From H. Howse, Marine Assistant Commissioner, to Major A. Boeie, Commis-
sioner of Arracan, dated Kyouk Phyoo, the 8th January, 1845.
Sir,—I have the honor to inform you, that according to your directions, I proceeded
on the 6th instant in search of any effects that might be visible of the Volcanic erup-
tion on the 2nd instant.
Having observed the eruption, and the spot where the flames appeared to rise up
out of the water, I set it by compass at W. N. W. from the Flag Staff, and reckoning
Fes. 1845. ] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. XXix
the distance from the place of observation to be about 16 to 18 miles, that would
place any rock or shoal that might have been thrown up, or any discoloured water,
about 5 to 8 miles to the north of the northern breakers off the Terribles.
I accordingly proceeded to this spot and cruised about, carefully sounding and keep-
ing a good look-out from the mast-head in a circle, from Lat. 19° 27' to 19° 36’, Long.
93° 16! to 93° 25’ E.
Not the smallest appearance of an eruption having taken place was observed in
this direction, nor the slightest trace of its effects; the soundings were all regular as
laid down on the charts; and having before had the coast, from the extreme point of
my observations up to northward, carefully surveyed, though out of the line of bear-
ing, I have returned in with the conclusion that no rock or shoal has been cast up by
the late action of the Volcano, nor have the soundings been at all affected, nor the
channel disturbed.
From this up to the northward and westward, the ground has been repeatedly passed
over by salt brigs and vessels belonging to the Flotilla, by none of which has any
thing extraordinary been observed.
M. A. C.’s Office, Kyouk Phyoo, (Signed) H. Howe,
the 8th January, 1845. Mar, Asst. Commissioner.
Extract from a letter from Mr. H. B. Weston, Commanding the Hon’ble Com-
pany’s schooner ‘‘ Spy,’’ dated I1lth January 1845, No. 4.
‘*At6 P.M. on the 2nd instant, L observed a large fire S. E. by S. (being then off the
Asseerghur Shoal), from which was thrown up five different times large masses of
fire. I supposed it to be a volcanic eruption, and in coming down the coast sounded
to see if any alteration had taken place, but found none; I went into Akyab, and
having got a bearing from there, proceeded in the direction, sounding, but have no
alteration more than a fathom, and that in steep places.
‘*T also kept a look-out for burnt wood in case it might have been a vessel burnt, but
found none: I have enquired of the vessels boarded, and they give a similar description
of it; a Chinese Junk excepted, who stated it to be a ship on fire, but had seen no
traces of her, though he went in the direction.”’
(True copy and extract, )
Fort William, Mar. Supdt.’s Office, (Signed) A. BoGLE,
the 24th January, 1845. Commissioner of Arracan.
(True copy,)
(Signed) Jas, SUTHERLAND, Secy.
(True copies, )
CrciL Beapon,
Under Secy. to the Govt. of Bengal.
It would appear from the foregoing, that there can be no doubt of the phoenomenon,
and extremely little probability of its having been a vessel on fire. As connected with
the former eruptions in that quarter, all these notices are of the greatest interest, and
we are fortunate in possessing there in the persons of Captain Williams and his friends,
such zealous observers and reporters.
We have also received from Captain Newbold, M. N. I., a valuable paper on the
Geology of Southern Jndia, which, as soon as the diagrams can be lithographed, will I
XXX Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Fes. 1845,
hope adorn our Journal; Captain Newbold promises a continuation of his paper, and
from his zeal, opportunities and talents, we may expect all which they can accomplish
under the disadvantage, common to all scientific votaries in India, of being sadly cir-
cumscribed as to time. From Mr. Ince of the Salt Department, we have received
through Mr. Torrens, bottles of water, and a box of rocks and pebbles from the salt
springs in the Chittagong district, with a letter giving an account of his visit to them.
1 have not yet examined them, as they arrived very late.
Lieut. Baird Smith has just forwarded Part III. of his valuable papers on Indian
Earthquakes, which will also be no doubt forthwith published.
Lieut. Sherwill has referred to us a small box of specimens of limestones from the
Museum of table-land of Rhotasghur, requesting me to select those
Economie Geology. most likely to prove useful as lithographic stones. From
minute fragments it is next to impossible to judge; but I have returned them to him,
with the most likely specimens separated from those decidedly bad; and, as he pro-
mises us slabs, we shall then be enabled to give them a fair trial.
OFFICERS OF THE ASIATIC SOCIETY ror 1845.
PRESIDENT.
Right Hon’ble Sir Henry Hardinge, G. C. B. Governor General of India.
The Right Revd. The Lord Bishop of Calcutta.
| The Honorable Sir J. P. Grant.
Vice- Presidents, ..4 The Honorable Sir H. Seton.
| H. W. Torrens, Esq.
LLieut.-Col. W. N. Forbes, B. E.
Secretary, H. W. Torrens, Esq.
Sub-Secretary, H. Piddington, Esq.
Committee of Papers.
Dr. J. Heberlin, F S. G. T. Heatly, Esq.
Lieut. A. Broome, B. H. A. | W. Grant, Esq.
C. Huffnagle, Esq. W. Seton Karr, Esq., C. S.
Baboo Prosonno Comar Tagore, | W. B. O’Shaughnessy, Esq., M. D.
——
Corresponding Members, Committee of Papers.
V. Tregear, Esq. A. Sprenger, Esq., M. D.
Capt. Boileau, B. E. | G. G. Spilsbury, Esq., M. D.
Lieut. Phayre,§B. N. I. tS sLisut Tickell, BN. I.
Capt. Cunningham, B. N. I. |
Curator Zoological Department Museum, i. Blyth, Esq.
Curator Geological and Mineralogical De-)
partments and Museum of Economic rH. Piddington, Esq.
Geology,
Librarian, Dr. E. Roer.
Accountant and Assistant to the Secretary, Mr. W. H. Bolst.
Assistant Librarian, Mr. J. Tucker.
Taxidermist, Mr. J. Nicolas.
Treasurers, Bank of Bengal.
Agent in London, Professor H. Hi. Wilson, India House.
Agent in Paris, Major A. Troyer, 55, Rue de la Pepiniere.
Booksellers and Agents in London, Messrs. W.& J. Allen, Leadenhall street.
Z
LIST OF MEMBERS
Of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, on \st January, 1845.
Alexander, Esq. Jas. Cameron, Hon’ble C. H.
Anderson, Major W. Campbell, Esq. A.
Avdall, Esq. J. Cautley, Capt. P: T.
Cheap, Esq. G. C.
Baker, Capt. W. E. Christopher, Esq. A.
Barlow, Esq. R. Colvin, Esq. B. J.
Barwell, Esq. A. C. Connoy Loll Tagore, Baboo.
Batten, Esq. J. H. Corbyn, Esq. F.
Bayley, Esq. H. V. Cust, Esq. R. N.
Beaufort, Esq. F. L.
Benson, Lieut.-Col. R. Davidson, Esq. T. R.
Esq. W. H. Dunlop, Esq. A. C.
Birch, Lt.-Col. R. J. H. Durand, Capt. H. M.
Birch, Capt. F. W. Dwarkanath Tagore, Baboo.
Bishop of Calcutta, Rt. Rev. Lord.
Bogle, Major A. Earle, Esq. W.
Borradaile, Esq. Jno. Egerton, Esq. C. C.
Boutros, Esq. F.
Bowring, Esq. L. B. Forbes, Lieut.-Col. W. N.
Boys, Capt. W. E. Fulton, Esq. J. W.
Brandreth, Esq. J. E. L. Furlong, Esq. Jas.
Broome, Lieut. A.
Buckland, Esq. C. T. Gilmore, Esq. Allan.
Bushby, Esq. G. A. Grant, Esq. J. W.
XXXIV List of Members of the Asiatic Society, \845.
Grant, Hon. Sir J. P. McKilligin, Esq. J. P.
Esq. W. P. Marshall, Capt. G. T.
Gladstone, Esq. M. Mill, Esq. J. B.
Goodwyn, Capt. H. McLeod, Esq. D. F.
Ganthony, Esq. R.
Grant, Esq. J. P.
Capt. W. C.
O’Shaughnessy, Esq. W. B.
Hopkinson, Capt. H. Ouseley, Lieut.-Col, J. R.
Hayes, Lieut. Fletcher. Ommanney, Esq. M. C.
Heatly, Esq. S. G. T. Owen, Esq. Jno.
Heberlin, Dr. J. ,
Huffnagle, Esq. C. Prinsep, Esq. C. R.
Hannay, Capt. F. S. Pourcain, Esq. J. St.
Houstoun, Esq. R. Peel, Hon. Sir L.
Hill, Esq. G. Prosonoo Coomar Tagore, Baboo.
Hickey, Lieut. C. E. Phayre, Lieut. A. P.
Hodgson, Major-General J. A. Pratt, Rev. J. H.
Irvine, Lieut.-Col. A, (c. B.) Quintin, Esq. W. St. Quintin.
Jackson, Esq. W. B. Robison, Esq. C. K.
Jenkins, Major F. Ramgopaul Ghose, Baboo.
Jameson, Esq. W. Ramnath Tagore, Baboo.
Rustomjee Cowasjee, Esq.
Karr, Esq. W. Seton. Rawlinson, Major H. C.
Ravenshaw, Esq. E. C.
Laidley, Esq. J. W. Ryan, Esq. E. B.
Lushington, Esq. G. T. Radhakant Deb, Behadoor Raja.
———— Esq. E. H. |
Loch, Esq. G. Strong, Esq. F. P.
Strachey, Lieut. H.
Maddock, Hon. Sir T. H. Stacey, Lieut.-Col. L. R.
McQueen, Rev. J. Storm, Esq. W.
Muir, Esq. J. Seton, Hon. Sir H. W.
Mouat, Esq. F. J. Sleeman, Lieut.-Co], W. H.
List of Members of the Asiatic Society, 1845. XXXV
Sutchurn Ghosaul, Behadoor Raja. Willis, Esq. J.
Stirling, Esq. E. H. Withers, Rev. Principal G. U.
Spilsbury, Esq. G. G. Walker, Esq. R.
Shortrede, Capt. R. Ward, Esq. J.
Smith, Lieut. R. Baird. Wilcox, Major R.
Stephen, Capt. J. G.
Young, Lieut. C. B.
Tickell, Lieut. S. R.
Thomason, Hon’ble J. Associate Members.
Torrens, Esq. H.
Trevor, Esq. C. B. Blyth, Esq. E.
Torrens, Esq. J. S. Long, Rev. J.
Taylor, Lieut.-Col. T. M. McGowan, Dr. J.
Syud Keramut Allee.
Walker, Esq. H.
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_ Meng-Tseu, traduction Latine, par S. Julien. Lutetiz Parisiorum, 1824, pages
593, 8vo. ae ae oe fn 8
Lassen, Institutiones Lingue Pracritice. Bonne ad Rhenum, 1837, pages 167,
8vo.. oo ose
Lassen, Anthologia Sanscritica. Bonne, 1838, pages 371, 8vo. om
Lassen, Gita Govinda, Sanscrit et Latine. Bonne ad Rhenum, 1836, pages 180,
4to. ace eae eee cy
Chezy, Yajnadattabada, ou La Mort D’yadjnadatta, Text, Analysis and Transla-
tion. Paris, 1826, pages 142, 4to. ae ane Pee
Chezy, La reconnaissance de Sacountala, Text and Translation. Paris, 1830,
pages 665, 4to. ... Sec one sO
Geographie D’Aboulféda, Texte Arabe. Paris, 1837-40, pages 586, 4to. Geta
The Travels of Ibn Batuta, translated from the Arabic Manuscript, by S. Lea.
London 1829, 143 pages, 4to. sce one LG
The Travels of Macarius, translated by F. C. Belfour. London, 1829, pt. I. 114
pages, 4to. oe “or oo Per) feat:
Memoir of the Emperor Jehanguire, translated from the Persian Manuscript, by
Major D. Price. London, 1829, 141 pages, 4to. a0 eee ee:
History of the Afghans, translated from the Persian, by B. Dorn, part I. London,
1829, 184 pages, 4to. Aye oat iad
Han-Koong-Tsew, or the Sorrows of Han, a Chinese Tragedy, translated by J.
F. Davis. London, 1829, 28 pages, 4to. eae Toe
Vocabulary of Scinde Language, by Capt. Eastwick. see ie |
Leech’s Grammar and Vocabulary of the Baloochi and Punjabee Languages. ... 1
Points in the History of the Greek and Indo-Scythian Kings, &c. Translated
from the German of Professor Lassen, by J, H. E. Roer, and Edited by
H. Torrens, Esq. Ae dL
{<< Separate articles of the Journal are also
printed, and sold at proportionate rates.
re-
Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Marcu, 1845.
The monthly meeting was held at the Society’s Room, on Tuesday,
the 18th March, at } past 8 p. M.
Charles Huffnagle, Esq. in the chair.
The following list of books presented and purchased was read :—
Books received for the Meeting of the Asiatic Society, Tuesday, March 18th, 1845.
Booxs Presentep.
1. Meteorological Register kept at the Surveyor General’s Office, Calcutta, for the
months of December, 1844, and January, 1845.
2. Jahrbiicher Der Literatur, of 1843, vols. 4.—By the Baron Von Hammer Purgs-
tall.
3. Geschichte Der Ilchane, by the Baron Von Hammer Purgstall, vol. 2.—By the
Author.
4, The Sugar Planter’s Companion, by L. Wray, Esq. Part I1.—By the Author.
5. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, vols. 2, Nos. 2
and 3.—By the Academy.
6. The Oriental Christian Spectator, for the months of January and F ebruary, 1845,
Nos. 1 and 2.—By the Editor.
7. The Calcutta Christian Observer, for the months of February and March, 1845.—
By the Editors.
8. Journal of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of India, Part IV:—By the
Society.
9. The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of
Science, No. 165, September, 1844.—By the Editor.
10. Proceedings of the Geological Society of London, vol. 4, No. 98.—By the Society,
11. The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, vol. 14, Part I.
1844.—By the Society,
12. Proceedings of the Royal Society, No. 59; 1843-44.—By the Society.
13. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London for the year 1844,
Part I1.—By the Society.
14. Récherches Sur les Poissons Fossiles, par Lt. Agassiz, Quatorziéme, Quinziéme
et Sizieme livraisons réunies, 1842 and 1843.—By the Editor.
15. Ditto Ditto, Planches Quatorzieme, Quinziéme, et Seizicmes livraisons réunies.
1841 and 1843.—By the Author.
16. Specimens of the illustrations of the Rock-cut Temples of India.—By J. Ferguson,
through W. Ferguson, Esq.
17. Five Maps of different parts of Asia, Berlin, Beimer.—By the Rev J. Haberlin.
Se
XXX11 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Marcn, 1845.
Booxs ExcuHanGep.
18. Calcutta Journal of Natural History, January, 1845, No. 2.—By John M’Clelland.
19. The Annals and Magazine of Natural History, including Zoology, Botany and
Geology, Nos. 92, 93, 94 and 95 of November, 1844, to January, 1845, vols. 14 and 15.
20. Journal Asiatique. Quatriéme Serie. Nos. 14 et 15, Mai et Juin 1844. Tome III.
21. Journal des Savants, Juillet, 1844,
22. The Atheneum for November 9 and 16,—December 7, 14, 21 and 28, 1844, and
January, 1845,-4-11, and 18.
Booxs Purcuasep.
23. History of the Indian Archipelago.—By J. Crawfurd.
24. Strange’s Elements of Hindu Law, vol. 2.
25. The Classical Museum, No. VI., January, 1845.
Mr. C, Joseph presented a copy of his map of the river Hooghly,
from Garden Reach to Bandel.
Read the following letter from Messrs. Allen and Co., the Society’s
London Agents.
Henry Torrens, Esq. Secretury to the Asiatic Society of Bengal.
Str,—We beg to state you, for the information of the Society, that we have every
reason to expect the completion of the bust of Mr. Hodgson in the course of six weeks or
two months from the present date.
We have, as requested in your letter of the 30th May last, applied to the Proprietors of
the Atheneum and Spectator respecting the non-receipt of their publications by the
Society since December, 1840. We have not been favoured with a reply from either
party, and conclude it is not their desire to make an exchange of publications with your
Society. It is not quite usual for the Proprietors of Newspapers to furnish gratuitously
their publications, They expect to receive and very seldom make any return.
The Journal of the Royal Institution has not been published for years. In our next
parcel to the Society, we shall include the Asiatic Journal from January, 1841, to the
present time, and it shall be continued as published in future. Your favor of the 5th
October last, acknowledging the receipt of our account sales, and giving us instructions
as to the disposal of the balance, shall have our best attention.
We have the honour to be, Sir, your faithful Servants,
London, January 12th, 1845. W. H. Atien ann Co.
Read correspondence, with notes by the Secretary and Committee of
Papers, from Mr. J. Hendrie, soliciting employment as draftsman to the
Society, and claiming payment of a bill to the amount of Co.’s Rs. 250,
which had been submitted by him for work done on trial.
Resolved that the recommendation of the Committee of Papers, that
Mr. Hendrie be paid the sum of Co.’s Rs. 150 for the works ubmitted,
be adopted, and that the Committee of Papers be requested to report
further as to the expediency of the employment of Mr. Hendrie.
Read the following note by the Secretary :—
Marcu, 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. XXXHi
At the December meeting Dr. Heberlin announced through the Secretary his inten-
tion of publishing a Sanserit Anthology consisting of fifty brief but choice specimens of
the best School, that of Kali Dasa, of Sanscrit poetry, didatic, elegiac and others.
This offers to the Sanscrit Scholar a description of work as yet a desideratum in the
learned world, a book namely, which may enable him to study in brief, and at small cost,
the best and choicest classical style of eminent writers in that ancient and admirable
language. Dr. Hezberlin proposes to publish the work himself, but in communication
with him the Secretary suggested to the Society their taking a certain number of copies
of it. It will prove a most valuable book to the Society, for the purpose of distribution
to learned bodies, and individual scholars in correspondence with it. The copies will be
delivered at trade price. He stated that he was not prepared to note at present the
number of copies to be taken, but after making a list of quarters in which they might
be distributed, and a reasonable stock of reserve copies, the Secretary said he would have
the honor of laying that list definitely numeralised, before the Society if the general pro-
position be favourably received.
The Secretary stated that it had been deemed advisable that the
Society should subscribe for 100 copies of this interesting work, which
was agreed to.
The Secretary presented on the part of 8S. G. T. Heatly, Esq. an
abstract of the proceedings of the former Statistical Committee of the
Society, (December, 1836, to March, 1839,) and it was resolved—
- That the records which are not at present forthcoming be searched
for, that the abstract be circulated to the Committee of Papers, that the
Committee of Papers resume the Statistical Committee’s deferred pri-
vileges, and that it be recommended to them to re-agitate the right of
free postage, &c. &e.
The Secretary stated that he had received from Captain Cunningham
and Mr. Tregear a collection of coins which they offered for sale, and
of which the package, yet unopened, was upon the table, but that he
desired, previous to submitting the proposal to the Society, to communi-
cate with Captain Cunningham.
The following coins were presented by the Sub-Secretary on the part
of Captain Marriot, B. N. I.—2 coins of Mahmed Shah, Ben Nassir
Shah, A. H. 627-634. 1 coin of Mahmed Toghluk, A. H. 725-752,
both were in the Society’s cabinet, and 2 Bactrian coins of Kadphises,
and on the part of Lieutenant Sherwill, B. N. I., of the Behar Revenue
Survey, two bags containing 134 old pice of various coinages.
Read the following letter in reply to the Society’s application for
Lieutenant Yule’s report on the Cherra Poonjee coal, as noted in the
Proceedings for October last :-—
XXXIV Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Marcu, 1845.
To H. Torrens, Esa. Vice President and Secretary, Asiatic Society.
Srr,—Under Orders from Government, communicated in Secretary Lieutenant Colo-
nel Stuart’s letter No. 120, dated the 6th December last, I am directed by the Military
Board to forward copy of Lieutenant Yule’s report on the coal formations of Cherra
Poonjee with Sections, &e.
J. GREEN,
Secretary.
Fort William, Military Board Office, 4th March, 1845.
The Sub-Secretary stated that in relation to this valuable paper he
would read the following extract from a letter of Lieutenant Yule’s to
his address of 22nd October last.
My pear Srr,—The Sections and Report with the Military Board will be found
quite useless for publication ; they were the work of a young officer without any experience,
just arrived inthe country, and are almost confined to the account of different modes of
conveying the coal to the plains. There is one point in them, which, however, should have
met with attention, the coal which is found abundantly thrown up by the Panateet river
near Landour. From want of time, the lateness of the season, and being unable to procure
jungle cutters I was unable to trace it to its bed, and was ordered off before I could
return, but the coal is apparently first rate, and probably abundant. The river is the same
that I have described in the last paragraph of the notes last sent.
Kurnaul, October 22d, 1844.
The paper and plans, which last were much admired, were handed
to the Editors of the Journal :—
Read the following letter to the Society :-—
Monsieur Torrens, Secretuire de la Societé Asiatique a Calcutta.
Monstevr,—Madame de Storr a V’intention de publier, a la fin de chaque mois une
livraison de quatre costumes litographiés and coloriés, des different peuples que |’ on ren-
contre a Calcutta ; Je desire beancoup, en regard de chaque costume, faire paraitre une
notice indicative des moeurs et habitudes de celui qui le porte. Mais etant depuis trop
peu de tems dans le pays, je n’ai pas acquis assez de connaissances pour decrire avec
verité des coutumes dont je n’ai entendu parler que vaguement.
La Societé Asiatique possede entre autres sur Inde, un ouvrage en 4 volumes intitulé
Les Indous ow description des Maurs et ceremonies, &c. et un autre en deux volumes
ayant pour titre ’ Inde Francaise.
Je pourrais dans les deux ouvrages trouver des rensignemens propres a completer celle
que je me propose de publier ; et en vous priant, Monsieur, de vouloir bienen faire pour
moi Ja demande au conseil, }’ ose vous assurer qu’ ils seront soignés comme choses ex-
trémement precieuses et que j’aurais a curde justifier la confiance qu’ il aura bien.
voulu m’ accorder.
Je vous devrai aussi des remerciemens que je vous prie d’ accuellir, ainsi que Il’ assur-
ance de la tres haute consideration de
Votre tres humble et obeissant Serviteur,
A. B. ve Srorr.
Calcutta, 21st Feb. 1845.
OO
Marcu, 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. XXXV
The Secretary stated that he had allowed M. De Storr to have from
the library one volume at a time of each of the works applied for, as he
deemed it incumbent on the Society to give every aid in its power to
works of the kind proposed.
Read a note from E. B. Ryan, Esq. presenting to the Society a box of
models of Ceylon boats, which were greatly admired for their beauty
and fidelity.
The Secretary presented on the part of E. C. Ravenshaw, Esq. a
memoir “ On the ancient bed of the River Soane, and the scite of Pali-
bothra’’ with a map. This valuable paper was handed to the Editors
of the Journal for early publication.
Read the following letter from Major R. Leech, B. N. I.
To the Secretary to the Asiatic Society, Calcutta.
My pear Sir,—I shall be glad to hear whether the Society feel an interest in the
subject of this letter.
I have taken advantage of my having been last year in charge of the Keythul and
Umbalah districts to have compiled a map of the Kurukhetra, the scene of the Maha-
bharata, as well as an accompanying account to illustrate the map from that work, from
another called the Kurukhetra Mahatma, and from existing legends collected at each
spot from the eldest and most intelligent inhabitants.
I should be glad to know what aid the Society is dispossed to afford me in publishing
both, or the map alone, paca is ona scale of two miles to the inch.
R. Lescu, Ist Ast. G.G. A. N. W.F.
Umbalah, New Frontier, 14th February, 1845.
The Secretary stated that he had written to Major Leech to say that
the Society would be most happy to publish the work in question for
him in its Journal or Transactions, being a subject of the highest
Indian Classical interest.
Read the following extract oe a letter by Lieutenant Baird Smith,
to the Sub-Secretary :
T intend shortly sending you a few coins obtained from the old village or town dis-
covered on the Muskurra River. These have been obtained without charge to the
Society. Thesite of the town has hitherto been covered with large quantities of boul-
ders for the use of the canal work, so I have not been able as yet to make any farther
search, but as these are now, or soon will be cleared away, I hope to pick up something
more.
Read a letter from G. Buist, Esq. in charge of the Bombay Observa-
tory, intimating that he had dispatched on the ship Sterlingshire, a
set of the Observatory Records for 1843, to replace those formerly sent
which had been damaged by oil in the dawk bangy transit.
Vad
XXXVI Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Marcu, 1845.
Museum Economic Grouocy.
Report or tHE Curator or THE Mineratocicat anp GroLocicaL DEPARTMENT,
FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.
Mineralogical and Geological.
We have received from Major Crommelin, B. E., residing at Darjeeling, a small col-
lection of 24 specimens of the rocks found by him on a tour in the neighbourhood of
that station ; he says :—
‘«« The specimens are not so large as might be desired; the reason is that I proceed
generally alone on my excursions, and find it no small addition to the fatigue of ascend-
ing 5000 or 6000 feet, to carrying a pocket load of stones.
Darjeeling, January 21st, 1845.
From Captain Munro, Her Majesty’s 39th Regt. we have received two very pretty
specimens of Ribbon Jasper from the neighbourhood of Gwalior, and a specimen of
Limestone with fossil remains (shells) from the Hungrung pass in the Himalaya, at
16,000 feet.
Amongst the catalogues of collections which I have sedulously collected from every
corner since my connection with the Museum, I found one, at least three years
ago, of a collection of specimens by Dr. Jameson from the hills ; but the specimens
were no where to be found. I wrote to him on the subject, as also, through Mr. Torrens
to Mr. George Clark at Umballah, but the collection appeared to be lost. To our great
surprise it has re-appeared as will be seen by the following letters :—
To H. Torrens, Esa. Secretary, Asiatic Society, Calcutta.
Srr,—When examining some wrecked property in my godown, the enclosed letter to
your address was found, together with a quantity of stones, which I beg leave to forward
to you.
Calcutta, 26th February, 1845. J. Hoimes,
Secretary, Union Insurance®
H. Torrens, Esa. Secretary, Asiatic Society.
Dear Sir,—As Mr. Clarke was sending some boxes to you, I have taken the oppor-
tunity of transmiting a few Geological specimens, collected during my tours in the
hills, and which I beg you will have the goodness to lay before the Society, as they are
intended to illustrate what I have written in your journal.
Umballah, 4th October, 1844. Wm. Jameson.
The stones also have so far escaped injury that we have the full number of specimens,
But the numbers, and consequently references, to about two thirds of them have been
lost, being on paper labels only.* Dr. Jameson, however, can easily renew them from his
Catalogue which is descriptive and I have written to him to request the favour of his
doing so for us.
From our indefatigable contributor Captain J. T. Newbold, M. N. I. we have
to announce another curious and valuable paper ‘‘ On the Alpine glacier, Iceberg
* All specimens should be ink (and if possible paint) marked, with a number in India?
where damp or insects destroy paper forthwith, and a duplicate copy of the catalogue
should be made at the earliest possible moment.
~ H. Pp,
Marcu, 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. XXXVI
Dilmiat and were transition theories with reference to the deposits of Southern India, its
which to form a valuable addition to our
>
furrowed and striated rocks and rock basins,’
knowledge on these heads, touching which so little is yet known out of Europe.
In consequence of our application to Government, at the suggestion of Colonel Forbes
for copies of Lieutenant Yule’s memoir and plans relative to the. carriage of coal in the
Kassia Hills, copies of them have been sent to us from the Military Board and will be
valuable as records in this department.
For all the foregoing communications and presentations the best thanks of the Society
were accorded,
s
Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, May, 1845.
The monthly meeting of the Society was held on Tuesday evening,
the 13th May.
Charles Huffnagle, Esq. senior member of the Committee of Papers,
in the chair.
At the commencement of the meeting Mr. Houston, C. 8. begged
to bring to notice what appeared to him to be an error in the proceed-
ings for October, in relation to the picture voted to Mr. Bird. A con-
versation of some length arose out of this without the result of a
vote. It was proposed by Captain Shortrede, and seconded by Captain
Marshall,
« That no report of the Proceedings of the Society at its meetings
be published till it has been verified by the next subsequent meeting,”
—which was carried unanimously.
New Members Proposed.
Lieutenant Sherwill, 66th N. I., Behar Revenue Survey, — proposed
by E. C. Ravenshaw, Esq. C. S. seconded by W. H. Quinton, Esq.
Dr. Henry,—proposed by E. Blyth, Esq. seconded by S. G. F.
Heatly, Esq.
The following list of books presented, exchanged and purchased was
read :—
Books received for the Meeting of the Asiatic Society, Tuesday, 13th March, 1845.
BOOKS PRESENTED.
1, Meteorological Register for February and March, 1845.—From the Surveyor
General’s Office.
2. The Oriental Christian Spectator, Nos. 3 and 4, of March and April of 1845.—By
the Editor,
3. The Calcutta Christian Observer, of May, 1845.—By the Editors.
4. The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, No. XV. Part 2, 1844.
5. Notes on Indian Agriculture.x—By A. Gibson, Esq.
6. On the Geographical Limits, History, and Chronology of the Chera Kingdom of
Ancient India.—By J. Dowson, pamphlet, 2 copies.
7. Proceedings of the Zoological Society for 1843, Part II, two copies, and Proceed-
ings from January to March, 1844, one copy.—By the Society.
xl Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [May, 1845.
8. Reports of the Council and Auditors of the Zoological Society of London, 1844,
two copies.—By the Society.
9. Transactions of the Zoological Society of London, Vol. 3, Parts 2 and 3, London,
1843.
10. Magnetic Reports of the Observatory at Bombay, May to December, 1843.—By
Government.
1]. Magnetic Observations for 1842 and 1843, by G. Buist.—Presented by ditto.
12. Report on the Meteorological Observations made at Colaba, Bombay, from the Ist
September to 3lst December, 1842, by G. Buist.—Presented by ditto.
13. Meteorological Observations for 1843, by G. Buist.—Presented by ditto.
14, Tracings of the Wind-Guage for 1842, 1848, by G. Buist.—Presented by ditto.
15. Barometrical Observations, by G. Buist.—Presented by ditto,
16. Verhandelingen van het Bataviaasch genootschap van Kunsten en Wetenschap
pen. Vols. 18, 19, 1842, 1843.—By the Society.
17. Natur en Geneeskundig archief voor Neerland’s indie—Eerste Jaargang Batavia.
1844.—By ditto.
18. Catalogus Plantarum in Horto Botanico Bogoriensi cultarum alter auctore, J. C.
Hasskarl, Bataviae, 1844. .
Books Exchanged.
19. The Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Nos. 96 and 97, Vol. 15, February
and March, 1845.
20. The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal by Jameson, No. 74, July to October,
1844.
21. The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine, third series, Vol.
25, Nos. 166, 167, 168, 169, of October, November and December, 1844.
22. Journal Asiatique, Quatriéme Série, Nos. 16 and 17, Juillet et Aout 1844.
23. The Atheneum, Nos. 900 to 907.
Books Purchased.
24. Introductory Lectures on Modern History, delivered in 1841, by T. Arnold, se-
cond edition, London, 1848.
25. Theogony of the Hindoos, by Count M. Bjornstjerna, London, 1844.
26. Political Philosophy, by H. Brougham, London, 1843 and 1844, 3 vols.
27. System of Logic, by J. S. Mill, London, 1843, 2 vols.
28. Journal des Savans, Septembre and Octobre, 1844.
Read the following letters, from Messrs. Allen and Co. the Society’s
London Agents, and W. W. Bird, Esq. :—
To Henry Torrens, Esa. Secretary to the Asiatic Society, Calcutta.
Srr,—We have been requested by W. W. Bird, Esq. to forward you the enclosed
letter. We beg to acquaint you that the map referred to by Mr. Bird was forwarded
on the 26th February last by the ship Princess Royal from Liverpool, and will be handed
over to the Asiatic Society by our agents as soon as it reaches Calcutta.
W.H. Axen and Co.
London, March 19, 1845.
To Henry Torrens Esa, Secretary to the Asiatic Society, Calcutta.
Sir,—With reference to the intimation made by me to the Meeting held on the 5th of
July, 1843, I have directed to be transmitted to you the newly constructed Map of
May, 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. xli
India by Messrs. W. H. Allen and Co. from ‘surveys executed under the orders, of the
Hon’ble East India Company, which Map is the most complete at present procurable,
and to request that you will have the goodness to present it to the Society on my behalf,
I have the honor to be, Sir,
Your obedt. Servant,
W. W. Biro.
London, February 18, 1845.
Read the following letter from Mr. H. B. Konig at Bonn :—
To H. Pippincron, Esq. Sub-Secretary of the Asiatic Society, Bengul.
Sir,—I have the honour to inform you that I have duly received, through the agents
of the Asiatic Society, Messrs. Allen and Co., the books directed to me, and offer now my
best thanks for this valuable communication,
Messrs. Allen and Co. will direct to you the following of my publications :
6 Seript. Arabum
12 Radices Line. Pracritiana
12 Panini, eight books
3 Malawica, Agnimitre
12 Radices Ling. Sanscrita
12 Meghaduta
12 Sacuntala
3 Lassen’s Zeitschrift, part 1V. V. VI. 16
6 Lassen’s Indien I. 1.
I hope the Society may accept these works as a sign of my highest respect. As
Sanscrit Literature is much cultivated in Germany, and many works published in India
are not to be procured, even in London, I should be particularly obliged, if the
Society would have the goodness, to cause about 10 or 15 copies of all works, formerly
or lately published in India, to be forwarded to me, for immediate prompt payment, or
instruct its agents to let the works be delivered to me at the prices fixed by the Society.
H. B. Konic,
Bonn, 5th December, 1844.
With reference to Mr. K6nig’s request to be supplied with a number of
copies of all the Sanscrit works published in Calcutta, the Secretary
stated that Dr. Roer had prepared a list of Sanscrit works published
in Calcutta, which he now presented, from which it appeared that 10
or 15 copies of each would amount to a very considerable sum. He
further suggested that as a part of these works had been published by
the School Book Society it was possible that body might be willing to
send Mr. Konig their publications through the Society. He was here-
upon authorized to refer to the School Book Society in the first instance,
and for the details of this application to the Committee of Papers, when
a scheme of returns could be finally made up and determined upon by
the Society.
xl Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [May, 1845.
The Secretary in laying on the table the papers relative to Mr. Heat-
ly’s proposal for the reformation of the Statistical Committee, which
had been circulated to the Committee of Papers, stated that the opini-
on expressed by that body was strongly in favour of the proposition,
whereupon the following resolution was moved by Mr. Huffnagle,
and seconded by Mr. Torrens.
“< Resolved,—that the re-institution of Statistical Researches on a
systematic plan by this Society appears a desirable object, and that a
Committee be appointed for the purpose of considering and reporting
on the specific measures through which this object may be obtained.
The Committee to consist of Mr. Heatly and Mr. Alexander,’’—which
was carried unanimously.
Read a letter transmitted to the Secretary by order of Government
from Capt. Nevile H. M. 8S. Serpent forwarding copies of the Logs of
H. M. S. Magicienne in the hurricane of 1818 and 1819 at Port
Louis, Mauritius. |
The Sub-Secretary pointed out that these logs were printed both in
the first and second edition of Col. Reid’s work, 1838 and 1841.
Read the following letter from Government :—
No. 1289 of 1845.
From F. Curriz, Ese. Secretary to the Government of India,
To the Secretary to the Asiatic Society of Fort William, the 2nd May, 1845.
Forreicn DEeparTMENT.
Sir,—I am directed by the Governor General in Council, to transmit to you, for such
notice as the Society may deem it to merit, the enclosed copy of a Report by Lieutenant
Dalton of his visit to the hills on the banks of the Soobanshiri River.
F. Currirz,
Fort William, the 2nd May, 1845. Secretary to the Government of India.
Referred to the Editors of the Journal for publication.
The Secretary presented on the part of W. Seton Ker, Esq. C. 8.
a Note of the course of study of students in the Sanscrit language.
This interesting note was handed to the Editors of the Journals for
early publication.
The Secretary reported that during his absence Dr. Sprenger, now
Principal of the Delhi College, had addressed the Sub-Secretary as fol-
lows :—
“*T have to ask you half a dozen other favors: I send this note to you through Messrs.
Ostell and Co. who will pay you for the ‘‘ Geographie d’ Abulfeda en Arabe, 2 vols.”
which is on sale at the Society for 5 rupees. You have once expressed that you would
May, 1845.| Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. xlili
sell duplicates of your library if so pray let me have ‘‘ Asiri Bibliotheca, Arabo-Hispa-
’? of which you have two copies, you must not charge it too high.
nica, in two volumes,’
I have written to Messrs. Ostell for De Sacy’s Grammaire Arabe, and Hammer’s Ges-
chichte der schonen Redekunste, in Persian. If they should not be available at Calcutta,
you would oblige me by lending me for a short time the copy of the Asiatic Society ; I
intend to have the History of Persian Poetry lithographed, and to compile an Arabic
Grammar in Urdoo, and want for a few days De Sacy’s book.
and that officer having requested Dr. Roer to report on the application,
received from him the following :—
To H. Prppineton, Ese. Sub-Secretary Asiatic Society.
Sir,—With regard to Dr. Sprenger’s application I have the honor to report, as fol-
lows :—
As Dr. Sprenger wants Hammer’s ‘‘ Geschichte der schonen Redekunste in Persian,”
and de Sacy’s Arabic Grammar, for the purpose of publishing an Arabic Grammar for
the use of the native students in this country, I would recommend to the Committee of
Papers to assist him in his useful undertaking, and to allow him the use of those works
for a limited period of two or three months. It would, however, not be advisable to
accede to Dr. Sprenger’s second request of selling him the duplicate copy of Asiri’s
‘* Bibliotheca Hispano-Arabico,” a work very rare and valuable, and I take this opportu-
nity of proposing to the Committee to establish it as a rule not to sell duplicates of valu-
able works, as it is of importance to keep always one copy in the library, while the other
may be circulated among the members of the Society.
29th April, 1845. KE. Roerr,
Librarian.
I quite agree in, and indeed suggested this arrangement.
H. Pippineron,
Sub-Secretary,
which being circulated to the Committee of Papers for their sanction,
Dr. Roer’s recommendation was adopted, and the books have been
forwarded to him by the steamer via Allahabad. |
Read the following letter from the Royal Bavarian Academy of
Munich :—
Henry Torrens, Esa., Vice-President and Secretary of the Asiatic Society of Bengal.
Srr,—Having been favoured, by the intervention of Dr. William Griffith, with your
kind declaration dated 23rd May 1844, that you would willingly order an exchange of
publications between the Asiatic Society of Bengal and the Royal Academy of Sciences
at Munich, I am directed to explain to you how much the Royal Bavarian Academy is
gratified by such a literary intercourse. Supposing that the Asiatic Society of Bengal
does not possess the series of Memoirs published in earlier times by the Bavarian Academy ,
a complete set of them shall be sent over to the care of Messrs. W. H. Allen and
Company, Leadenhall Street, London. In return we take the liberty of announcing to
you, what we are wanting in our library from your most precious publications,
1. Index to the 4th vol. of the Mahabharut complete.
2. Inaya, 2nd vol. 690 p. 3rd vol. 682 p. 4th vol. 937 p. in 4to.
3. Jawame-ool-I]m-ul-Riazi, 168 p.; with 17 plates 4to.
———
xliv Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [May, 1845.
Anis-ul-Musharrahin, 541 p. 4to.
Sharaya-ool-Islam, 631 p. 4to.
Tibetan Dictionary, 373 p. 4to.
Vocabulary of Scinde language, by Capt. Eastwick.
a Sore
°
Grammar and Vocabulary of the Baloochi and Punjabee languages. Leach.
©
. Harriwansa, 563 p., royal 4to.
The other books are in our possession, and also partly the most interesting Journal of
the Asiatic Society of Bengal, the completion of which by your kindness, I take the
liberty to ask for. There is wanting of this most precious Journal, vols. I. II. III.; From
the year 1839, are wanting the months of August, September, October and November ;
from 1841 is wanting No. CXIIL, and from No. CXVIII. allis wanting published till
to the present day. We should consider as a particular favour your friendly intervention
for the completion of this work.
In the box containing the newer publications of our Academy, you will also find the
Almanacksof the last years, which give a general catalogue of all our publications, and of
which I beg you to select any more you may believe interesting for the purpose of the
Asiatic Society. Also you will find there two little books of my own: Systema Mat.
Med. Veget. Brasiliensis, and on the Constitution, Sicknesses and Physics of the American
tribes, which I beseech you to present in my name to the Asiatic Society,
Regarding the Society’s wish of possessing specimens of German geology, we have
treated on this matter in the physical class of our Academy, and the members concerned
in similar studies have been directed to get together a convenient collection for the Tech-
nic Geological Institute of your Society. But itis understood that such a collection
cannot be ready immediately. After its completion it shall be committed into the hands
of your agent at London. Every communication in any branch of natural history the
Asiatic Society may think convenient for us, shall be highly acceptable. I beg you to send
the Society’s communications either by London, where your agent may take care of
them, or to Hamburgh directly, where Mr. G. T. E. Roeding is the Academy’s agent.
_ Allow me, Sir, to present you the assurance of the high consideration with which I
have the honour to be,
Dr. Martius,
Secretary of the Math. and Phys. Class of the Roy. Academy of Sciences.
Munich, 6th of January, 1845.
The Secretary was authorized to dispatch to the Royal Bavarian
Academy the books required, and to express the gratification of the
Society at the opening of an intercourse with this learned body.
Read the following note from Major Wroughton pointing out a mis-
conception as to Colonel Stacy’s Hebrew MSS. (Proceedings of
January).
My pear Sir,—I have just received a letter from my friend Colonel Stacy, in which
he mentions that the Hebrew MS. sent by me, in his name, to the Asiatic Society’s Muse-
um, has by some misapprehension been considered as a donation. I have no recollection
of the exact purport of my note, which accompanied the MS. but feel confident, if you
May, 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. <by
will kindly refer to it, that “I merely sent the MS. at Colonel Stacy’s desire, to be
lodged in the museum of the Asiatic Society.”
Ballygunge, April 16th, 1845. Rozert Wrovcuton.
The Secretary stated that a note had been duly appended to the
MSS. for which a tin case had been made, so as to preserve it as much
as possible from all chance of injury.
Read a letter with Prospectus of his work forwarded by Dr. Fal-
coner :*—
Prospectus preparing for publication, under the auspices of Her Majesty’s Government, and
of the Honourable the Court of Directors of the East India Company :
A work to be entitled,
Fauna Antiqua SIVALENSIS,
Being the Fossil Zoology ofthe Sewalik Hills, in the north of India, by Hucu Fatconer,
M.D., F.R.S., F.L.S., F.G.S., Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, and of the
Royal Asiatic Society ; of the Bengal Medical Service, and late superintendent of the
H.E. I. C. Botanic Garden at Saharunpoor, and Prosy T. Caurtzy, F.G.S., Captain
in the Bengal Artillery, Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, &c.
The object of this publication is to make known, in a connected and complete series,
the numerous fossil animals which have been discovered in the North of India, by the
Authors and other inquirers, during the last twelve years ; and to develope the bearings
of these discoveries on the physical and geological history of India during a great part of
the tertiary period.
The fossil Fauna of the Sewalik range of hills, skirting the southern base of the Hima-
layahs, has proved more abundant in genera and species than that of any other region
yet explored. As a general expression of the leading features, it may be stated, that it,
appears to have been composed of representative forms of all ages, from the oldest of the
tertiary period down to the modern, and ofall the geographical divisions of the Old
Continent, grouped together into one comprehensive Fauna in India. Of the forms con-
tained in it may be enumerated, in the Pachydermata, several species of Mastodon and
Elephant, the Hexaprotodon Hippopotami, Merycopotamus, Rhinoceros, Anoplotheri-
um, Sus, and three species of Equus ; in the Ruminantia, the colossal genus Sivatherium,
peculiar to India, with species of Camelus, Camelopardalis, Bos, Cervus, and Antilope ;
in the Carnivora, species of most of the great types, together with several remarkable un-
described genera ; in the Rodentia, several species ; in the Quadrumana, several species ;
in the Reptilia, the Gigantic Tortoise (Colossochelys) with species of Emys and Trionyx,
and several forms of Crocodile. To these may be added the fossil remains of Birds,
Fishes, Crustacea, and Mollusca. _
The materials in the possession of, or accessible to, the Authors, are singularly rich and
abundant. They consist of vast collections made by themselves during the last twelve
* We re-print here the prospectus which will also re-appear for some time in an
abridged form on the cover of the Journal as an advertisement, and we trust that the
work will find in India the support it so richly merits.—Eps.
xIvi Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [May, 1845.
years alone several hundred miles of the Sewalik range. Of these, one portion, which
comprises the contents of upwards of two hundred chests, is now deposited in the British
Museum, having been presented to the national collection by Captain Cautley, and will
with the consent of the Trustees, supply the chief part of the descriptive details and illus-
trations of the Work. Other large collections in the India House will be resorted to
when requisite ; and in cases where their own materials may be less complete, and they
will have access to specimens from the very extensive collections made by their friends
and fellow-labourers, Colonel Colvin and Captains Baker and Durand, of the Bengal
Engineers, whose published researches will be incorporated in the projected publication.
In order to embrace in it as far as may be possible a general Fossil Fauna of the Con-
tinent of India during the tertiary period, illustrations will be drawn from the Irawaddi
fossil discoveries of Messrs. Clift and Crawford ; from the researches of Dr. Spilsbury in
the valley of the Nerbudda ; and from those of Dr. Lush and Lieutenant Fuljames in the
Gulf of Cambay, all of which localities have yielded fossil remains like those found in the
Sewalik Hills. With the same object, all the available materials relating to the osseous
remains of the elevated plains of Thibet, which are so importantly connected with the
geological history of the Himalayahs, will be examined by the Authors, and described or
figured when necessary.
On the completion of the paleontological details, a comprehensive account will follow,
embracing the general results of the fossil inquiries, together with a eeological description
of the Sewalik Hills, to serve as an Introductory Chapter to the work. The Authors will
have the aid of some of the most eminent living Naturalists in describing such depart-
ments as they may feel themselves but imperfectly qualified to deal with, such as the Fossil
Fishes, Crustacea, and Mollusca.
The Authors have been induced to undertake the work by the belief, that the scientific
reputation of this country and the credit of the Indian services are concerned in bringing
to light researches embracing so many new facts, and bearing so importantly on the past
physical history of the vast possessions of the British Empire in India. They are not
insensible to the difficulty and extent of the subject, but they hope that they are in some
measure prepared for it, by previous investigations, extending through several years.
In order to secure to science the full advantage of the Sewalik fossil researches, in a
suitable form of publication, Her Majesty’s Government and the Honourable Court of
Directors of the East India Company have been pleased to accord such an amount of aid
in limine as will ensure the successful progress of the work. The Publishers anticipate
that a corresponding measure of support will be afforded by the scientific classes in Eng-
land, by the British community in the three Presidencies of India, and by scientific men
abroad.
Plan of Publication.—The Work will appear in about Twelve Parts, to be published
at intervals of about four months, each containing from twelve to fifteen folio Plates, or
an equivalent number of a larger size, where the nature of the subject may require it.
The Plates to be accompanied by royal octavo letter-press. The price of each Part will
be One Guinea in Europe, and Sixteen Rupees in India.
Parr I.—Containing the Mastodons and Elephants will be published on the Ist of
July, 1845.
Subscribers’ Names will be received by the Publishers, Messrs. Smith, Elder and Co.,
65, Cornhill, London; and by Messrs. Thacker and Co., Calcutta; Forbes and Co.
Bombay ; and Messrs. Frank and Co., Madras.
May, 1845. | Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. xvii
Read the following memorandum and letters :—
Memorandum.
The Secretary has to transmit two letters from the Baron Van Hoevell, and Baron
de Carnbee (the latter gentleman being now in Calcutta) touching the establishment of
a correspondence between our Society and that of Batavia.
PE i propose being authorised to send an acknowledgment of the books received, a series,
as far as available, of the Journal, and the vols. of the Researches available for distribu-
tion, with a letter of thanks, and reciprocrating wish to correspond.
If Messrs. Piddington and Blyth would draw each of them a note of objects in natural
science desirable for our Museum from Java, with a request that we in our turn may be
instructed from Batavia in like manner, these would materially add to the value of my
letter.
I have seen the Baron de Carnbee, and have come to a most satisfactory understand-
ing as to the footing on which the Societies would correspond.
H. Torrens,
Vice-President and Secretary, Asiatic Society.
The Curators are requested to peruse the accompanying note and fetters, and to put
in a brief statement of the desiderata from Batavia in their several departments, which [
can send down with my letter to the Society there. I have ascertained from Baron de
Carnbee that English will be a convenient language of correspondence.
The Curators may state generally what duplicates or sets of duplicates they hold ready
to transmit. .
The Batavian Society are rich in Volcanic specimens.
H. Torrens.
Vice-President and Secretary, Asiatic Society.
A Monsieur H. Torrens, Secrétaire de la Société Asiatique & Calcutta, etc.
Mon curr Monsreur,—Je me rappelle avec plaisir notre entrevue d’hier. L’intérét
que vous manifestiez au développement et progres dela Société Scientifique a Batavia,
causera je vous en donne I’assurance, la plus grande satisfaction a tous les membres,
et moi je me félicite de pouvoir leur communiquer |’ heureux résultat de mes démarches.
Sir Stamford Raffles, pendant plusieurs années président de notre Société, disait dans
un de ses discours: ‘‘ The objects of the Asiatic Society in Calcutta are so fully explain-
ed in the discourse of Sir William Jones, that it is unnecessary to enter into any explana-
tion of them here. The researches of that Society are not confined immediately to West-
ern India ; they extend throughout the whole regions of Asia. The whole circle and the
wide field of Asia are alike open to your observations, but it occurs to me, that the
interests and objects of the Institution will be more advantageously promoted by its
exertions being directed to what falls more immediately within your reach, &c.”
J’espére que vous partagerez mon intime conviction qu’une correspondance réguliére
et continue, contribuera a servir eficacement le but de nos Sociétés reciproques.
J’ai eu Vhonneur de vous faire voir quelques ouvrages récemment publiés 4 Batavia.
Vous m’obligeriz d’accepter de ma part pour votre Société un exemplaire du: ‘ Cata-
logus Plantarum in Horto Botanico Bogoejensi; auctore J. C. Haskarl, 1844,” et un
exemplaire du :’—‘* Natuur und Geneeskundig Archief voor Neerlands Indie” (Archive
pour les Sciences naturelles et medicales des Indes Neerlandaises Ist Année 1844.)
Avant mon départ de Calcutta j’écrirai a Monsieur le Baron van Ijboevell (President
de notre Société) qui vous offrira d’autres publications entre autres le “ Tydschrift voor
-
=
=<
xlviii Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [May, 1845.
Neerlands Indie,” qui existe dejasept années, et contient plusieurs articles intéressants par
rapport a la littérature Javanaise et autres branches scientifiques. A mon retour en
Europe je pourrai traduire et arranger en Anglais quelques articles de ma composition
traitant des Isles our de l’Archipel de la Sonde, etc. et je me trouverai heureux si apres
avoir été examinés, ils pourraient étre placés dans le Journal de la Société Asiatique
a Calcutta, Enfin, Monsieur, je vous prie d’accepter l’assurance de mon respect et
considération et me signe
Votre tres humble Serviteur,
Br. G. Metvitt pE CARNBEE.
Calcutta, de 27 Mars, 1845.
A Monsieur le Secretaire de la Société Asiatique a Calcutta.
Monsreur,—Monsieur la Baron Melvill de Carnbee, officier distingué de la Marine
Hollandaise, chevalier de l’ordre Royal du lion Belgique et membre correspondant de la
Société des arts et sciences de Batavia, se proposant de partir en peu de jours pour Cal-
cutta, nous profitons avec empressement de cette occasion favorable pour adresser a
votre honorable Société les deux exemplaires ci-joint des 18 et 19 volumes des Transac-
tions de notre Société, qui renferment des documens precieux pour la literature orientale
Nous vous prions Monsieur, de vouloir honorer Monsieur le Baron Melvill de votre
bonté, et bienveillance et de faciliter, tant que possible, les recherches scientifiques qu’
il se propose de faire dans |’Inde Brittanique.
Recevez Monsieur, l’assurance de notre consideration distinguie.
La Direction de la Société des Arts et Sciences de Batavia,
Van HoeEvett.
LEFECREHAVIE.
Batavia, le 2 Janvier, 1845. N. Myer.
The Secretary stated that he had received from the curator of the
Geological and Mineralogical Departments, his note of desiderata, and
forthwith handed it to M. de Carnbee, and that he held now in his
hand that of the Zoological curator which would be forwarded with his
reply to the Society of Batavia.
Read the following letter from the Rev. Mr. Long :—
To H. Torrens, Ese. Secretary, Asiatic Society.
Dear Si1r,—When on a visit to Kishnagar last January, I was favoured with a view
of several pictures belonging to the Rajah of Kishnagar, three new portraits of various
members of his family, and among the rest of Rajah Krishna Chandra Roy, of whom a
most interesting memoir has been published in Bengali.
The drawings are kept in a damp place and are rapidly going to decay.
As one object of the Asiatic Societyis to obtain rare drawings or portraits illustrative of
the history of the country, it would be a desirable object to obtain the loan of those por-
traits in order to have copies taken.
The East India Company lie under deep obligations to Rajah Krishna Chandra Roy, as
through his friendly disposition towards the English, and his influence over various Hindu
rajas ; the overthrow of the tyrant Suraj ad Doulah was facilitated.
Calcutta, April 17th, 1845. James Lone.
May, 1845.} Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. xlix
Mr. Long not being present the Secretary was desired to make some
further inquiries.
Read the following letter from W. H. Hoff, Esq., the coins and hu-
man hand being on the table.
To H. Torrens, Esa., Secretary, Asiatic Society.
Sir,—I have in my possession a few articles which I will send over if you think that
they will be acceptable to the Asiatic Society.
The first is one of fifteen coins found in the interior and uncultivated parts of Singa-
pore. Qn having a patch of land dug up, a gentleman discovered an earthen pot
containing them. I have been unable to ascertain of what metal or mixture of metals
the coin is composed ; but I am inclined to think that zinc and silver have been employed
in its manufacture. The obverse side bears the faint traces of some unknown characters,
and on the reverse side there is a rude device of a lion or some other beast.
The next is a glass vessel containing a human hand kept in pepper. It belonged toa
notorious footpad or robber who was long a terror to the inhabitants of the Nicobars,
and had fora considerable time escaped punishment. He used to propel poisoned
arrows through a null or tube about a yard in length merely with his breath! He was
at last shot ; but it was found impracticable to extricate the null from his death-grasp :
it was consequently sawed off on both sides. The remaining portion is still in the
clutch of the large and hairy hand.
24 March, 1845. Wo. H. Horr.
The Secretary submitted, from the Sub-Secretary, a prospectus of a
New Zodaical Map, to be edited by J. W. Woollgar, F. R. A. S., upon
a new projection, and to a convenient scale; corresponding with the
Maps of Schwink, and a little larger than those of Professor Argelan-
der, containing about 1000 stars visible to the naked eye. The Sub-
Secretary suggested that such a map (the price being also only 7s.
6d.) would be a useful addition to the Society’s port-folios, and more-
over that the Society might appropriately present one to the Prince
of Mekhara. (See Proceedings October, 1844.) Two copies were
ordered to be subscribed for.
The Sub-Secretary presented on the part of Captain F. M. Crisp of
Moulmein, a grass petticoat and scarf worn by the women of the better
classes at Teresa, one of the Car Nicobar Islands.
Read a letter from the Count Ange de St. Prieux, proposing that the
Society should contribute either by funds or by the purchase of copies
of a work entitled, ‘‘ Antiquités Mexicaines” to the expenses of a joint
“Commission Scientifique Americaine” formed at Paris for the further
exploration of American Antiquities.
l Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [May, 1845
It was resolved ; that the Society regret its inability to co-operate, but
that it feels it to be its duty in the first place to lend all its assistance to
the efforts which may be made to investigate the yet unexplored fields
of purely Indian Antiquities.
The Secretary read extracts from a private letter to his address from
Lieutenant Fletcher Hayes, 62nd N. I., dated from Kya Ghurra, N. W.
of Shikarpore, in which that officer who had just returned with the
troops from the campaign in the Murree and Bhoogtee hills, mentions
his having found the great utility of the “ admirable vocabulary” of
the Beloochee languages (by Major Leech), published in the Society’s
Journal, (Vol. VII. p. 538) and offers additions to it both in words
and in phrases: this the Society would most thankfully accept and
give early publication to.
Read the following memorandum, accompanying one of the New
Zealand Jade-stone idols presented to the Society by Captain Fox.
Memorandum.
This stone was sent from New Zealand by a Mr. Lucette to me,—The stone is of
value,—and particularly so in China. The Idol is often passed as a heirloom from gene-
ration to generation, as the supposed certain means of preventing any casualty in a
family when contagious diseases predominate.
W. Fox.
3ist March, 1845.
Read the following letter from Colonel Ouseley :—
My pear Sir,—I promised to send youa copy of the original Sketch I did, and for-
warded June 13, 1834, to Lord William Bentinck, of the Nerbudda. I have added to this
now sent the great coal field of Benar (and other coal) I discovered ; and hope you
will complete the sketch you gave in No. 151. ( No. 67, 2nd Series).
From the nature of the coal procured at Benar I ‘am quite sure, that the Bombay
and Calcutta railways should pass there. The best iron and the best coal in India
are produced there. The line should run along the foot of the Hills, where the Nulas
are small, not near the Nerbudda when the nullas become wide chasms, and ravines
of such width and depth as would greatly add to the expense of the road.
‘J. H. Ouserey.
Chota Nagpur, 29th April, 1845.
P. 8S. The whole of the remarks on the left and right banks of the Nerbudda noticed
in the printed sketch are verbatim from my own map, and the divisions on both sides of
Estates, &c. as you could see if you ask Major Wroughton, Deputy Surveyor General, to
allow you to look at the original.
Pee a
The map sent by Colonel Ouseley extending from Jubbulpore to
Hoshungabad, and that compiled by the order of the Government
N. W. P. and reduced for the Journal, Vol. XIII., from Hoshungabad
May, 1845.]| Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. li
to the sea, were both on the table. The Editors of the Journal were
directed to give all due publicity to Colonel Ouseley’s labours by an
additional lithograph in the journal, including the coal site of Benar
and railroad sketch as added by him.
Read the following letter from Captain Fox, giving an account of the
loss of the collection made by him for the Museum :—
H. Torrens, Ese. Secretary, Asiatic Society.
‘Srr,—In the month of January last year, Mr. Blyth of the Museum, put on board the
vessel I commanded a box, together with a quantity of Arsenical Soap, and other articles
for the cure of such of the desiderata at New Holland and New Guinea, I might be
enabled to procure. The boy and I succeeded in obtaining at New South Wales a tolera-
bly good and large variety of specimens, which were packed up, but getting wet I was
compelled to order their being thrown away in consequence of the offensive effluvia
they emitted. A Satin and Regent Bird 1 cured myself, and being badly done, I took less
care of them; they were suspended in my cabin, and remained good, and I believe a
hawk the boy kept with his clothes. I did not visit Maulmein, having resigned command
of the vessel. Among other things I lost a beautiful Eagle-hawk, Black-swan and a
-Wallahby. I had fondly hoped to have been the first to have brought a large quantity of
specimens from New Guinea for our Calcutta Museum ; but that gratification I was
compelled to forego in consequence of annoyance in Sydney. Subsequently [I brought
the boy with me in the “‘ Minerva,” by which vessel we returned passengers, and owing
to the crowded state of so small a vessel, (146 tons with 100 souls on board) the Cap-
tain directed the large box to be put under the stern boat, and one Sunday morning we
all saw the box for a few seconds astern, it having fallen overboard and sunk. The
boy behaved very well and is an excellent lad, and no blame whatever can attach itself
to him. Iam very sorry for so great a loss; but I trust the explanation will meet your
approbation.
Your most obedient Servant,
W. Fox.
Calcutta, 16th April, 1845.
The Secretary stated that he held in his hand two MSS. books, con-
taining notes and sketches made in the Hills, which had been kindly
forwarded for publication in the Journal by Captain Marshall, but that
the Editors had thought with reference to the time elapsed since the
notes were made, and their somewhat private and domestic character,
that they were not exactly suitable for the pages of the Journal.
Memorandum.—These note books were subsequently withdrawn by
Captain Marshall.
Read the following letter from the Local Committee of Education at
Agra :—
To H. Torrens, Esa. Secretary, Asiatic Society, Calcutta.
Srr,—The Local Committee of Education at Agra being engaged in the formation
hii Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [May, 1845.
of a Museum of Economic Geology, in connexion with the Agra College, direct me to
address you on the subject, and to state that—
2. They doubt not but that they may rely on the sympathy of the Asiatic Society in
favor of an undertaking which has for its ultimate aim the ascertainment and development
of the minera]resources of this country, and primarily, of the North Western Provinces,
as yet so imperfectly determined.
3. That should your Society be possessed of any disposable Geological Specimens
of the economic kind, the Committee would feel greatly obliged by being favored with
them.
4. As this work has been but just commenced, the Committee are at present unable
to offer to your Society any thing in return ; but they trust they may by and by be ina
position to reciprocate the favor for which they now ask.
I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obdt. Servant,
J. Mippieron,
Secretary.
Agra College, 1st May, 1845.
The Curator Museum Kconomic Geology stated that a few specimens
would be available from that Department, and is preparing them for
forwarding was accordingly sanctioned.
Report oF THE Curator GerotocicaL AND MrneratocicaL DrepartTMENT AND
Museum or Economic GEoLoGy FOR THE MONTHS OF Marcu anp APRIL.
Geological and Mineralogical.
We have received from Government a report addressed by Captain Tremenheere B. E,
of Maulmein to the Military Board, on the prices of tin ore, with specimens of tin ore
from a new locality called Henzaito the north of Maulmein, and also of some supposed
copper ores, or indications of copper, from the Maulmein hills in that vicinity, but on
examination they prove to be only the well-known pavonine Antimonial coatings, as
nothing but Antimony and Iron can be traced in them ; though so much resembling
copper as to be taken for it even by experienced persons.
This has been duly reported upon to Government,and Captain Tremenheere’s attention
directed to the scite of Batto Kayen Karian near Maulmein, from whence we have a
true copper ore in the Museum ; supposed to have been sent by Lieutenant Foley to Mr.
James Prinsep.
Captain Phayre, Assistant Commissioner, Arracan has sent us from Sandoway a series
of specimens carefully numbered and catalogued, with the following letter :—
“*My pear Mr. Prpprncron,—You may remember you asked me to procure a series
of the rocks occurring from the foot to the top of the Aeng pass. I have not been able
to do this, but having gone in December to the top of the Yoma range of mountains,
direct east of this town, I collected a complete series of the rocks and have now the plea-
sure to send them, together with a map, and a note on the route, &c.
I hope my remarks may be intelligible, though I have great doubts thereon, however,
I have done my best to meet your wishes. I looked out particularly for the minerals you
mentioned (and of which you sent a box of specimens, herewith returned with many
thanks) but was not fortunate enough to meet with any. I could not delay at the
spot, or I should have remained a day or two longer.
Sandoway, Feb, 25th, 1845. A, P. Puayre.
May, 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. liti
P. S. In your letter dated the 4th August, 1844, you allude toa paper of queries re-
garding the volcanic islands on the coast ; this paper I never received, and I fear I shall
scarcely be able to proceed to the islands this season ; but if you will kindly transmit the
queries, they may induce me to go, and show me also what you require.”
Captain J. Abbott, B. A. has obliged us with a paper on Kunkur, with specimens con-
taining his views on its formation, which will doubtless be printed in the Journal, as
offering, especially, views formed on the spot and in the alluvial soil: to which I refer
more particularly, as Captain Newbold has lately favored us with his views principally
from the Kunkur fields in the great trap formation of Central India.
Through Captain Baker, B. E. we have received a letter from Lieutenant Blagrave
which should have accompanied his boxes of Scinde fossils and fish. Itis as follows :—
To the Secretary to the Asiatic Society, Calcutta.
Srr,—I have the pleasure of sending you a few fossil shells and zoophytes found in the
neighbourhood of Roree, Tatta, and Kurachee, also a few recent sea shells found in the
tops of the sand hills in the vicinity of the Ullah Bund, and some fish from the Sindra
lake. As I hear that the Society are publishing Sir A. Burnes’ illustrations of the fishes
of Scinde, some of these may be new, as I believe he got none of the fishes of the Sindra
lake, and thought that none existed in it on account of the extreme saltness of its waters ;
but when I visited it,in July last, the banks were strewn with fish and water insects
evidently thrown upon the shore by some recent storm, along with several small dead
birds and thousands of locusts, which had evidently perished in trying to cross the lake.
There were several other kinds of fish both large and small, which I had not the means
of carrying away with me; many quite new, at least to me; however, if I re-visit that
neighbourhood, I will make a collection for the Society’s Museum. I had intended
sending a collection of recent shells from the beach at Clifton, (Kurachee) alone with
the fossil ones, for comparison, but I have had no time to make the selections or even to
look over the fossils, among which there may be a lot of trash; but should I be here
another year, should the Society wish it, I will endeavour to make a good collection of
both forthem. I shall be employed in surveying the hills on the western boundary during
the cold weather, and if I find anything worth sending will do so. Can you give me any
hints for analizing soils, as I think it would be to the advantage of Government were the
different kinds of soils in Scinde known, and oblige, Yours truly,
Ist October, 1844, Camp Kurachee. T. C. Bracrave,
From Mr. Conductor Dawe we are apprised of the dispatch of five chests of fossils
selected by him, under Captain Baker’s directions, from the remains of the Dadoopoor
Museum, which are on their way down to us.
We have to announce also two more papers of great importance from Capt. Newbold,
being “‘ Notes on the Geology of the Southern Mahratta Country,” and ‘‘ Geological
Notes across the Peninsula,” which will no doubt find an early place in our Journal.
Musreum Economic Grouocy.
We have received from Captain Sherwill a box of stones for trial as lithographic stones
from the table-land of Rhotasghur, but I fear most of them will be found too siliceous
or too thin, Many indeed are evidently defective, but some promise well, and I shall take
steps to have them fairly tried.
Major Williams of Kyook Phyoo, who some time ago sent us a minute specimen of
a stone called Samy stone in the West of India, as having been sold to his brother by a
liv Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. | [May, 1845.
Cavalry soldier, as highly valuable for the purpose of polishing the bits of bridles, (See
Proceedings of January, 1845, ) has now sent us a larger specimen, which proves it to be the
common Agalmatolite only, and not as I had judged by the examination of the previous
pepper-corn specimen, the fine variety called Pagodite. Major Williams says :—
My pear Srr,—My brother has sent mea larger piece of the “‘ Samy Stone,” and
requests I would send it to you, and I shall feel extremely obliged if you could inform
me where I can obtaina quantity of it. Dr. Rose has kindly consented to convey it to you.
My brother mentions also his having sent your former letter to me on this subject to Mr.
Murchison, the Geologist ; the stone appears to be in request at home, more so perhaps
than in India, where its use is not known apparently,
Kedgeree, 25th February, 1845. D. Witi1aMs.
Whence I presume that it has been found, as I supposed, of use at home, or at least that,
as I have remarked, it was thought well-worth attention when a quantity could be procur-
ed. I have written to Captain Ouseley requesting him to send us a good cooley load of his
Agalmatolite from Chota Nagpore, with which this is identical.
We have received from the Dundee Watt Institution, through Dr. Wise, a box of
Mineralogical and Geological specimens, some of which are handsome and of interest,
but many, indeed most of them are unfortunately without labels, which, for the Geolo-
gical specimens particularly, is a very great drawback on their value.
Mr. W. St. Quintin, C. 8. has referred to us from Darjeeling specimens of a quartz
pebble and of fibrous hornblende rock,supposed to contain Gold, but the appearance is due
merely to common pyrites. This mightnevertheless be auriferous, but is in too small quan-
tity to be detected in such very minute specimens; the rock might contain but one-tenth
part of pyrites and the pyrites but one hundredth part of gold and yet be worth work-
ing on the large scale.
For all the above presentations and communications the best thanks
of the Society were accorded.
Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, June, 1845.
The stated monthly meeting of the Asiatic Society was held at the
Rooms, at } past 8 p. m. on Tuesday the 17th June, Charles Huffna-
gle, Esq. senior member of the Committee of Papers, in the chair.
The proceedings of the May meeting were read, and with a few addi-
tions and corrections confirmed.
Read the following list of Books presented, purchased and exchanged
during the last month :
Books received for the Meeting of Tuesday, the 17th June, 1845.
Presented.
The Meteorological Register, for April, 1845.
The Oriental Christian Spectator, Nos. 5 and 6, for May and June, 1845.—By the
Editor.
The Calcutta Christian Observer, for June, 1845.—By the Editors.
The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine, and Journal of Science,
for January, 1845.—By the Editor.
The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal, October, 1844, to January, 1845.—By
the Editor.
Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, for March and
April, 1844.—By the Academy.
Ditto, ditto, ditto, for May and June, 1844.—By the Academy.
An Address to the Students of the Benares College.—By J. Muir, Esq.
Brief Lectures on Mental Philosophy, delivered in Sanskrit—By J. Muir, Esq.
Annales des Sciences Physiques, et Naturelles D’ Agriculture et D’Industrie.—By the
Royal Agricultural Society of Lyons, Vol. 6.
Archeologia or Miscellaneous Tracts relating to Antiquity, Vol. XXX.—By the Ar-
cheological Society.
Index to Archzologia, from Vol. XVI. to XXX.—By the Archeological Society.
Magnetical and Meteorological Observations.—By the Honorable the Court of Direc-
tors.
Prasastiprakasika.—By the author, Krishnolall Deb.
Supplement to the Glossary of Indian Terms.—By H. M. Elliott, Esq. Civil Service,
from the Government N. W. P.
lyvi Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. |Junr, 1845.
Exchanged.
Caleutta Journal of Natural History.
Journal of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of India.
Journal Asiatique, Vol. VI.
The Atheneum, for March 29th, 1845, and 5th, 12th, and 19th April, 1845.
Purchased.
Mantell’s Medals of Creation, Vols. 1 and 2.
The History of Etruria, Part IT.
The History of the Reign of Tippoo Sultan, translated from an Original Persian MSS.
The Classical Museum, No. VII.
The Annals and Magazine of Natural History, April, 1845.
Journal Des Savans, November and December, 1844.
Illustrations of Indian Ornithology.—By T. C. Jerdon, Esq.
The Asiatic Journal and Monthly Register, for the years 1841, 42, 43, 44, and the first
No. of 1845.
Map of the Kuree Vesetra.—By Lichashahaba.
Read the following letter accompanying the very valuable and curi-
ous work to which it refers :—
No. 413.
From J. Tuornton, Esq. Secretary to Government N. W. P.
To the Secretary, Asiatic Society Calcutta, dated Agra, 21st April, 1845.
Gent. Dept. N. W. P.
Srr,—I am directed to transmit to you, for the Society’s use, a printed copy of Sup-
plementary Glossary of Indian Terms prepared by Mr. H. M. Elliot, Secretary to the
Sudder Board of Revenue N. W. P.
J. THoRNTOoN,
Agra, 2\st April, 1845. Secretary to Government N. W. P.
Read the following letter accompanying the paper to which it refers
which was handed to the Editors of the Journal for publication :—
(No. 1353, of 1845.)
From F. Currir, Esq. Secretary to the Government of India.
To the Secretary to the Asiatic Society, dated Fort William, the 9th May, 1845.
Forercn Derr. ‘
Sir,—In continuation of my letter to your address, No. 1289, dated the 2nd instant,
I am directed by the Governor General in Council to transmit, for such notice as the
Society may deem it to merit, the accompanying copy of a report by Lieutenant Dalton,
of the traffic carried on with the tribes of Meris and Abors, and some information of a
tribe of hill people called Ankas or Jamaee.
F. Currie,
Fort William, the 9th May, 1845. Secretary to the Government of India.
June, 1845.| Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. lvii
Read the following letters relative to a Gold Medal of H. I. M. the
Emperor of Russia, presented by him to the Society which was on the
table :
To tHe Ricut Hon’ste Sir Henry Harpinecsr, G. C. B.
&e. &e. &e,
Srr,—I have the honor to transmit to you, with a request that you will have the
goodness to direct them to be safely delivered, a letter and a box containing a gold
medal which have been addressed to the Asiatic Society of Bengal, by command of the
Emperor of Russia.
have the honor to be, Sir,
Your most obdt. Servant,
(Signed, ) | Ripon.
India House, March 29, 1845.
A lu Société Asiatique du Bengale.
J’ai eu Vhonneur de porter a la connaissance de Sa Majesté Impériale Phommage fait
par la Société Asiatique du Bengale de ses principales publications concernant les littera-
tures Arabe, Sanscrite et Tibétaine.
L’Empereur mon auguste Maitre, ayant daigné agréer avec bonté Voffre de l’associa-
_ tion savante, m’a ordonné de lui transmettre l’expression de sa haute bienveillance ; en
temoignage de laquelle Sa Majesté a daigné conférer a la Sociéte Asiatique du Bengale
une grande medaille en dr 4leffigie de Sa Majesté.
Je viens de recevoir par l’entremise de la maison de commerce du Baron Stieglitz, une
caisse contenant un seul exemplaire des publications sus mentionnees et je m’empresse
de m’acquitter de l’ordre Supréme, en transmettant ci-joint ala Société Asiatique du
Bengale, la medaille en 6r, que Sa Majesté a bien vonlu lui accorder.
En joignant a cette office un exemplaire des principaux ouvrages, portés sur la liste
ci-apres, du domaine de la littérature orientale, qui out paru en Russie, je me félicite
d’avoir été Vorgane des rapports littéraires entre la Société Asiatique du Bengale et
l’ Empire de Russie.
(Signed, )
Ovvarorr,
Le Ministre de Vinstruction publique.
St. Petersbourg, ce 25 October, 1844, 7th Novembre.
Liste des ouvrages destinés a la Société Asiatique du Bengale.
1. Der Weise und der Thor. Aus dem Tibetischen. ubersetzt und mit dem Original-
texte herausgegeben von T. J. Schmidt, St. Petersburg, 1843, 1 vol.
2. Die Thaten Bogda Gasser Chan’s, des Vertilgers der Wurzel der zehn Ubel in den
zehn Gegenden. Ans dem Mongolischen ubersetzt von T. J. Schmidt, St. Petersburg,
1839, 1 vol.
3. Idem. Traduction russe.
4, Tibetisches Deutsches Worterbuch von T. J. Schmidt, St. Petersburg, 1841, 1 vol.
5. Dictionnaire Mongol Allemand-russe, publie par T. J. Schmidt, St. Petersburg,
1835, 1 vol.
iil Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Junn, 1845.
6. Grammatik der mongolischen Sprache, verfasst von T. J. Schmidt, St. Peters-
burg, 1831, 1 vol.
7. Grammatik der tibetischen Sprache, verfasst von T. J. Schmidt, St. Petersburg,
1839, 1 vol.
8. Ch. M. Fraehnii Recensio numorum Muhamedanorum Academie Imp. scient.
Petropolitane ; inter prima Academie Imp. secularia edita. Petropoli, 1826, 1 vol.
9. Die Minzen der Chane tom Ulus Dschutschi’s order von der goldenen Horde,
von Ch. M. von Fraehn, St. Petersburg, 1832, 1 vol.
10. Ibn Feszlan’s und anderer Araber Berichte uber die Russen alterer Zeit, von C.
M. Fraehn, St. Petersburg, 1823, 1 vol.
11. Monographie des monnaies armeniennes, par M. Brosset. St. Petersburg, 1839,
1 vol.
12. Déscription géographique de la Géorgie, par le Tsarevitch Wakhought, publi-
ée d’aprés l’original autographe par M. Brosset, St. Petersburg, 1842, 1 vol.
13. Catalogue de la bibliothéque d’Edchmiadzin, publiée par M. Brosset, St. Peters-
burg, 1840, 1 vol.
14. Sammlungen historischer Nachrichten uber die Mongolischen Volkerschaften
durch. P.S. Pallas, St. Petersburg, 1776, 2 vols.
15. Dictionnaire géorgien russe francais, composé par David Tchoubinof, St. Peters-
burg, 1840, 1 vol.
16. Archiv fiir Asiatische Litteratur, Geschichte und Sprachkunde, verfasst von
Julius von Klaproth, St. Petersburg, 1810, I vol.
) 17. Chrestomathie mongole, publieé par T. Kovaleffsky, Casan, 1836, 2 vols.
18. Chrestomathie mongole, publieé par A. Popoff, Casan, 1836, 1 vol.
| 19. Chrestomathie persane, publieé par A. Boldyreff, Moscou, 1833, 2 vols.
| 20. Grammaire de la langue turco-tatare, publieé par le Prof. Kasim. Bek. Casan,
1839, 1 vol.
21. Dictionnaire arménien russe, publieé par A. Houdobacheff, Moscou, 1838, 2 vols.
22. Asseb. O. Seyar on sept planeétes ; Histoire des Chans de la Crimée ; Ouvrage de
Seid Muhammed Risa, Casan, 1832, 1 vol.
23. Recueil de maximes, priéres, fables, etc, traduites en langue mongole, Casan,
| 1841, 1 vol.
24. Arithmétique en langue mongole, publiée par A. Popoff, Casan, 1837, 1 vol.
25. Grammaire chinoise, composée par le pére Hyacynthe, St. Petersburg, 1838, 1 vol.
26. Ghata Karparam, par P. Petroff, Casan, 1844.
27. San. Tsi. Tsin, traduit du Chinois par le pére Hyacynthe, St. Petersburg,
1829, 1 vol.
(Signed, ) K. Komosxey,
Directeur de le Chamberie du Ministre.
The Secretary was requested to convey to the Russian Minister of
Public Instruction, and to request him to express to His Imperial Mas- |
| ter, the expression of the Society’s most respectful thanks for the high
honour conferred on it; as also for the very valuable additions to the
hbrary comprised in H. I. M. donation.
JuNE, 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. lix
Read the following letter from Major Leech, C. B. Acting Secretary
to the Governor General, N. W. P.
H. Torrens, Esa. V. P. and Secretary, Asiatic Society,
My pear Sir,—With reference to my letter to your address of the 14th of February
last, and to your reply of the 2d of last March, erroneously addressed to Mr. Cust,
I have now the pleasure to transmit to you the commencement (10 times as much will
follow) of the manuscript Sanscrit to accompany the Maps of the Kuruk Ghetr which I
dispatched by banghy dawk on the 26th ultimo.
I am much flattered to find that my undertaking is highly interesting to the Society,
and was also so last cold weather by the great interest the Lieutenant-Governor of Agra
did me the honor to express in the same.
Wherever I have been stationed I have felt that I owed it as a duty to the literary
public, as well as to Government, to enquire as much as my leisure moments would per-
mit, into the language, religious customs, and ancient history of the people I have been
placed among. .
Judging from the interest felt in my undertaking in this neighbourhood where the
people are familiarized with the scene, I am led to believe that there isnot a Native
(Hindoo) Court or seat of learning, or possessors of a copy of the Mahabharut in India,
at which and to whom a copy of the maps at least would not be a most valuable and
highly prized acquisition, while to your learned correspondents in Europe you flatter me
by saying it would not be wholly unacceptable.
I anticipate its being said by a few, and I hope a very few, that the publication of such
documents is a prostitution of the press, an offering to Hindoo Idols. But by far the
greater numbers will regard it in its true light, as an illustration of the Ancient Geogra-
phy of one of the most classic spots in India, tending to create or increase a taste for
printing and lithographing among the Natives. And perchance, by making the district of
Uglhul the more frequent resort of men of rank, tend to a prosperity to which it has for
so many years before lapsing to the British Government been a stranger.
I am indebted to my friend Captain Abbott, who succeeded me in charge of the district
of Uglhul, for the loan of surveying instruments, and of his valuable map of the district,
and to the Rajahs of Pateala and Jheend, and the Surdurnea of Thanesur for their
ready permission to survey such part of their territories as came within the Kuruk Ghetr.
You will perceive in this instance, as in others that have come under the notice of the
Society (Journals of Natives employed by me in travelling across the Indus published by
them) that I have not, as is too often the fashion, robbed the real though humble labourer
of his hire, but have made the Pundit of the small Ambalah School, Jwaharlal, enter his
name as the compiler of the present manuscript. I have made him again enter the name
of Dander, from whose Mahatma he has condensed most of his Urdu.
Labour I have had none. Expense I have incurred little, perhaps not more than 200
rupees. I was alone fortunate in the undertaking suggesting itself to me.
I have in preparation a Persian map and a Persian Mahatma, comprising the local
legends, undertaken at the request of most of the chiefs with whom I am acquainted in
these parts.
J cannot here refrain from calling attention to a little mistake or two made by the im-
maculate authority as to the history and country of the Seikhs, who writes in the Calcutta
Ix Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Junn, 1845.
Review, page 156, (the Seikhs and their country.) ‘‘ The word Kora-Chetre denotes
the field of Kora, the opponent of the Pandus.”
“* With Thanesur nearly as the centre of the country around in a radius of twenty miles
is holy ground, and every ghat on the Saraswati, and nearly every tank within that area
is a Teeruth, a place of pilgrimage.”
The words ‘‘ opponent and centre” are of course the trifling mistakes I allude to.
Should there be a difficulty in lithographing the Teeruths in red letters it will not sig-
nify their being black with the rest.
By this day’s banghy dawk I have despatched a drawing of a Prathanea found at
Bhyn Jahsh some years back, which ought to be reduced to quarter its present size to
bear binding in the account of that Teeruth. ;
I have to apologize for the execution of the map. Having had no time myself to devote
to it. Ihave been obliged to entrust it to a very indifferent Native draughtsman, but
still the best procurable, of its correctness notwithstanding I am well satisfied.
The border of the map which is very incorrectly drawn being taken from the Pratha-
nea is suitably antique. .
I shall be happy to publish the map and account myself on ascertaining the probable
expense through your kind assistance, should the Society, from the fact of their not being
in English, consider them unadapted to the Journal or the Researches, or I shall be hap-
py to see them put into any other shape or language under the auspicies of the Society -
by any one having the necessary leisure which I have not.
Your’s very truly,
(Signed, )
Ambalah, 3d June, 1845.
Read the following letter from the Archeological Society :—
The Secretary of the Asiatic Society, Calcutta.
Srr,—I am directed by the President and Council of the Society of Antiquaries of
London, to forward to you the following publications, for the use of the Asiatic Society ,
Calcutta, viz.
Archeologia, Vol. XXX.
Index to ditto, from Vol. XVI. to Vol. XXX.
Somerset Place, 29th Nov. 1844. Nicu. Car.iste,
Secretary.
Read the following letter :—
To H. Torrens, Ese. Vice President and Secretary, Asiatic Society.
Sir,—lI have the pleasure to forward the accompanying (7) seven volumes, being the
only works in Sanskrit in the Calcutta School Book Society’s Depository. I regret that
our stores should furnish so meagre a supply, but works in the Sanskrit language are so
little called for that the Society have not considered it worth while to enlarge their selec-
tion at present.
The amount of the books is 8 Rs. 9 an. ; which you can either pay now, or allow to
stand over to some future time, as most convenient to yourself.
C. S. B. S. Library, May 23, 1845, J. Syxzs,
Sec, C. S. B.S.
June, 1845.| Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. al
Resolved that, pending Messrs. Konig’s final orders the bills be
allowed to stand over, as kindly offered by the School Book Society.
Read a letter to the Sub-Secretary from the Rev. J. J. Moore, Secy.
Agra School Society, acknowledging the receipt of the copy of the
Rekha Ganita made here for him* (See proceedings April, 1844) and
inclosing a draft for the amount :—
Read a memorandum from the Sub-Secretary noticing that Dr.
Campbell, of Darjeeling, had obliged the Society with 44 old numbers
of the Journal.
Read the followmg note relative to the model of the Gun “ Zubber-
jung :’—
My Dear Sir,—Some time ago a model of the celebrated ‘‘ Zubberjung’”’ Gun, which
was burst on the return of the army from Afghanistan, was sent to the museum of the
Asiatic Society by mistake. It should have been forwarded to Mr. Curnin of the Mint, and
since I have been apprized of the error, will you kindly do me the favor to make it over
to the bearer, and I will agreeably to Colonel Stacy’s instructions, send it on to Mr.
Curnin.
Believe me, your’s sincerely,
Ballygunge, May 21st, 1845. Rosr. WrovucuHtTon.
And the Secretary stated that in returning the model he has requested
Major Wroughton to oblige the Society with a cast also, on paying for
the expense, which he had kindly promised to procure for it.
Read the following letter from Captain Russell, H. C. Steamer Gan-
ges relative to the presentation to which it alludes :—
Henry Torrens, Esqa., Secretary to the Asiatic Society.
Dear Sir,—On my last trip in the H. C. Steamer Ganges to the Nicobar Islands, I
found a curious custom existing among'st the Natives of preserving the bones of their
chiefs or principal persons. At Lalone, a village in the N. E. side of the island of
Theresa, at the place where the brig or schooner Mary was cut off in either May, June, or
July, 1844, Captain Ventura and his crew were all murdered, and the vessel burnt, part
of her rigging and stores were found in the houses, the natives having fled to the jungles.
Close to this village under a tree were several, say 15 or 16, of the bones of these persons
dressed up as you will find by the specimen, which Captain Patterson has the kindness
to take up to you from me, which I request you will present to the Asiatic Society.
On enquiry I find that from three to four months after being buried, the bones are
carefully taken up, and dried, afterwards at their feasts carried about to every house
by the young girls, and then placed under a tree with cocoanuts, yams, &c. laid near
them. Trusting this may be deemed acceptable to your Society.
Moulmain, 14th May, 1845. J. Russe,
Commander H. C. Steamer ‘‘ Ganges.”
* But we have not been able to obtain one with the diagrams. We should be obliged
to any friend who could indicate to us where a copy exists with the diagrams.—Eps.
Ixu Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [JuNE, 1845.
Read the following letter in Persian accompanying the work to
which it alludes :—
AJla5} als rat Sy wlelle Wlayd3, Wlarotle dys Wey yf
algae (gaye Oy
BySldv0 cane sls pho (529° 9 (599% yrilers este eh S59) &
WE” g wyllo} lad! AF pdyab 9 ilo Sop) Cgriedl Jo! WEIL whale
crnmcn gle (ole AY ym (cul Kring Ccileyad 5 (ciley adi Sole” y Jose”
ciwl wld cod a) last, glist? lads 8007 Wl doy) la
| Slane GUA! 5 Skye Slog! Sd2 Chas 4) wy pais oi! soy lo GL,
| BEA! y ps Cruel 8392079 Uae KLE Cw ditly ylledy| 36 ana SowT Sey wey
| dle ore yyawrli pyray yy3y0 ype coitghdy |) yldyl GU 24
ydal lia jy HES SGlod Clie oll ali logy cys! Bsdes SI p=%,
| 3999 Toedly Syhmvo asta alist oj lords aS Poy use ohne
gah 9) G digh dbo Sry pl 34, uly Sie (stle WIT GE! wl Uc
isi19.905 31 libs! 85 Voueia) AU ous Meri edleA wl GIS
SUL SI gla GULLS Gydticy yy ym Ld SGIOS (gwlid wpe
Sys lf sf 9 osjfoit euoldl ob jhe wool ile ol se” Eyed
ty S58 yidy Heol dsp 5905 Sy cet'a My WT Cold lua crojdlo
ty agd SblaLo yyol Coy sT UR! dio §LS Wye y dijled UST silo; eylhiiy
ce aly Us Gy O95 1 dio” C5 5.9 5 “gids DIL oily Good 98
wy 910yd Lels dyin Saha dric sti (5lei! jhe See oes [dd oy 'Sit
siday 51 80427 59) JS lela, Crojdlo (giey wolew Gy! Jlas*! “sal
eel Jy wt prrlne Coty! 3d50) elt als X59) yo 6 (5,9 mwa & (oylddes
Bly 5 rae! Sze Lil vel ye? Bay ye atl ye (PL) pepithtio dln
wl am
e 10 dime U2 yi! slo wes
sey
isle wiFor Uw» 50 wla,tiors (59
}
June, 1842.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. Ixni
The Secretary was desired to write to the author, expressing in the
name of the Society its high approbation of the work, and especially as
regards the introduction of the Copernican system into it.
Report oF THE Curator Museum or Economic Grotocy, AND GEOLOGICAL AND
MineraLocicaL DEPARTMENTS, FOR THE MONTH OF May.
Geological and Mineralogical.
Lieutenant Sherwill, whose beautiful Geological map and collection of specimens of
Zillah Behar was brought before the Society in January has at my request, added to it.
—I may say he has doubled its value—by giving us first a note of the heights of forty-two
points measured or estimated, and then a general geological memorandum of the district.
He has further, and this is not mere ornament, added to the map a set of vignettes most
capitally executed, and admirably chosen to convey a faithful idea of that district.
From the whole we shall, I doubt not, be able to give as good a preliminary geo-
logical idea of the district as can be desired, or indeed expected, for nothing short of a
geological survey can of course produce a correct one.
We have also received Captain Phayre’s sketch map to accompany the series of speci-
mens from Sandoway to the top of the Yoma mountains exhibited at the last meeting.
The map had been left on board the H. C. S. Amherst.
Lieutenant Strover has forwarded to us, at the request of Captain Abbott, some speci-
mens illustrative of his paper on the occurrence of granite in the bed of the Nerbudda.
' Lieutenant Strover says,
My pear Srr,—In a letter I received from Captain Abbott, he mentions that some
specimens of trap blended with granite found in the bed of the Nerbudda here would be
acceptable to the Society. I therefore, without delay, despatch them by Banghy Dawk
franked by the political officer here ; I have sent five different packets, viz., Ist the trap,
2nd granite, 3rd the granite and trap where the former preponderates, 4th where the lat-
ter is in excess, 5th indistinct blending of the two. Should the society require other speci-
mens or layer, I shall be happy to meet with their wishes.
Museum of Economic Geology.
We have received from Captain Ousely a good supply of the Agalmatolite which as
mentioned in my last report, we had recognised Major Williams’ Samy stone to be; and
some of it really proves to be a very fine variety, almost approaching the Pagodite.
A box of 8 or 10 lbs. weight has been sent, in the name of the Society, to Major
Williams’ brother, with a request that he would inform us of the success of it as a polish-
ing material, for which, and as an anti-attrition one also, it seems admirably adapted.
I shall also endeavour to have trials made of it soon; the different varieties we have
received, I have distinguished as follows in our collection and to Mr. Williams:
A. Large block, light greenish-white fracture, talcky in some parts; the weathered
surface yellowish. .
B. Sawn piece ; whitish, slaty grey where cut ; on the fractured surface green, grain
finer and even.
C. Thinly laminated, and contorted. Impure between the laminations.
Ixiv Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [June, 1845.
D. Thick laminated and contorted, perhaps a harder kind.
Major General Cullen has forwarded to us from Trevandrum two specimens of Gra-
phite. This graphite is of the soft, loose scaly kind which would evidently not serve for
pencils, and for inferior uses it is probably too cheap at home to render it worth shipping.
Nevertheless a few maunds might be tried since its collection and package would be
made at a trifling expense.
General Cullen says—for though not writing for publication I cannot do better than
borrow his words :
Cochin, 3rd March, 1845.
““T send you by a vessel bound for Calcutta some specimens of what I suppose to be
Graphite which I lately discovered near Trevandrum in Travancore. You may perhaps
have observed in a late No. (30) of the Madras Journal of Science a slight notice of the
discovery by me of this mineral in Tinnevelly as well as Travancore? At first the indica-
tions of it were trifling, consisting merely of small scales or sometimes of thin plates about
the size of a dollar disseminated in the Limestone or Gneiss of Tinnevelly or the Gneiss
or Laterite of Travancore. Subsequent researches have proved to me that it is not only
very generally (widely) distributed, but that it is not improbable it may be found in
such abundance and purity as to render it an article of commerce.
I have procured some specimens of very fine sorts, in lumps about the size of a small —
ege, from pits in a Kunkur deposit at Tinnevelly, but I have not yet been able to visit and
examine the spot carefully. The lumps, however, seem to consist of scales or lamina .
rather closely aggregated, but not so much so as to admit of leads bemg cut out of them .
fit for pencils, it is also exceedingly flexible or soft.
Perhaps, however, at a great depth or incumbent pressure its solidity may be greater.
Small scales or plates of graphite are also exceedingly common in Travancore, parti-
ticularly south of Trevandrum, but I have found traces of it as far north even as Cochin.
The variety of graphite which I have sent you by sea was discovered in my search for
finer specimens of the laminar kind. I learnt that the potters of Trevandrum occasion-
ally, at the great festivals, blackened their earthen vessels with a mineral which was sup-
posed to be plumbago.
I visited the spot, which was 5 or6 miles from Trevandum, on the slope of a gneiss hill,
the lower portions of which were overlaid with laterite ; or rather the gneiss rock was
there decomposed into laterite, to a certain depth from the surface ; small lumps of laterite
containing the plumbago were lying about on the surface, there was no regular work-
ings, but I opened the soil or laterite in the bed of a water course for a distance of about
40 or 50 feet, and found a regular stratum or vein of the mineral more or less rich ; imbed-
ded and lying parallel to the strata of laterite as the specimens now sent. It appeared
to become rich as we went deeper. I brought away some hundred pounds of the mixed
ore or laterite. It has not yet been turned to any account.
Its fibrous appearance only excepted, or rather its granular texture and its application —
to pottery, made me suppose at first that it might be an ore of antimony, nor does it soil
so strongly as the laminar varieties. The fibrous varieties are very like specimens which —
I have of the Ceylon graphite ; the geological relation to the deposit in Ceylon will be
interesting.
JUNE, 1845.| Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. Ixy
You are aware probably of the singular carbonaceous deposits in the south of Travan-
core, have these a connection with the occurrence of the Graphite? probably not. These
carbonaceous or lignite beds are chiefly immediately on the coast between Quilon and
Trevandrum, but they are found also 30 miles south of Trevandrum, and also in Mala-
bar near Calicut, as noticed by Captain Newbold.”
Col. Ousely has forwarded through Mr. Secretary Halliday a fine set of specimens of
the Galena of Hisato, which will be I hope more fully reported on at our next meeting.
NY
\
a"
~~
Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Juty and Aucust, 1845.
The monthly meeting was held at the Society’s Rooms on Tuesday
evening, the 12th of August, at the usual hour, Charles Huffnagle, Esq.
the senior member present, in the chair.
The proceedings for the month of June were read and confirmed
by the meeting.
In reply to an enquiry from Capt. Marshall as to the causes of there
having been no meeting in the month of July, the Secretary stated
that his public duties having become, on a sudden, excessively onerous,
owing to the necessary investigations connected with the extensive
opium forgeries which had taken place, he had been unable to give any
attention to the Society’s affairs at that epoch, and thus the meeting
was unavoidably postponed.
Tn reply to a further enquiry from Captain Marshall, as to alterations
in the days of meeting, which in the rules was stated to be the first
Wednesday in every month, some conversation took place, in the course of
which it was satisfactorily shewa by the older members present, that from
the nature of Indian, and especially of Calcutta Society, much discre-
tionary power was necessarily, and always had been, left to the Presi-
dents and Secretaries in calling the meetings; and further, that by the
rule itself* it was evident this had been always intended ; still it was
thought by the meeting that it would be generally advantageous, if the
former day (the first Wednesday of the month) was reverted to, with
the understanding that it was the fixed day unless reasons of import-
ance should necessitate any variation from it.
* Rule 9.—If any business should occur to require intermediate Meetings, they may be
convened by the President, who may also, when necessary, appoint any other day of
the week instead of Wednesday for the stated Meetings of the Society.
Ixvii Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Aue. 1845.
Read the following list of books presented and purchased :
List of Books received for the Meeting of the Asiatic Society, on Tuesday, the 12th
August, 1845.
Presented.
Meteorological Register for May and June, 1845, from the Surveyor General’s Office.
Oriental Christian Spectator for July, 1845.—By the Editor.
The Caleutta Christian Observer, for July and August, 1845.—By the Editor.
The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science,
No. 171, February 1845.—By the Editor.
Prinsep’s Historical Results from Discoveries in Afghanistan, 2 copies.—By the Author.
Transactions of the Society of Arts, 1843-44, vol. LV.—By the Society.
Burnouf’s Bhuddisme Indien, vol. 1.—By the Author.
The Sabda Calpa Druma, a Sanscrit Dictionary, by Raja Radhakant Deb. vol. 5.—By
the Author.
Récherches Sur les Poissons Fossiles, par L. Agassiz :—1843, l7me et 18me
livraisons.—By the Author.
Monographie des Poissons Fossiles du vieux grés rouge ou systéme Dévonien (old
red sand-stone) Des iles Britanniques et de Russie, par L. Agassiz, ler et 2d livraisons,
1844.—By the Author.
Baron Higel’s Travelsin Kashmir and the Punjab, 1845.—By the Publishers.
Lithographed drawing of the evening ride of H. H. Maharaja Sheer Singh.—By Prinee
Soltikoff, presented by H. Torrens, Esq.
Purchased.
The Classical Museum, No. 1.
Ritter’s Geographie, from the 2nd to the 9th vol.
Stuhr’s Geschichte der Religions formen der heidnischen Volker. 2 vols.
Stuhr’s Chinesische Reisehreligion. 1 vol.
North British Review for August and November, 1844, Nos. 2 and 3.
Do. Do. Do. February and May, 1845, vols. 4 and 5.
Whewell’s Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences, vols. 1 and 2.
Whewell’s History of the Inductive Sciences, vols. 1, 2, and 3.
Reflections on the Politics, Intercourse and Trade of the ancient nations of Africa,
by A. H. L. Heeren, vols. 1, 2, 3.
Donaldson’s Varronionus.
Exchanged.
Journal of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of India, Part II. vol. IV.
The Annals and Magazine of Natural History including Zoology, Botany and Geo-.
logy, for May and June, 1845.
The Athenzeum for April 26th, May 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, and 31st, and June 7th, and.
14th.
Read a letter from the Secretary to the Board of Control transmitting
bill of lading for the case of books presented to the Society by His
Imperial Majesty The Emperor of Russia,
Ave. 1845. | Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. Ixix
Read the following reply, by the Secretary, to the letter of His Ex-
cellency Count Onvaroff, Minister of Public Instruction at St. Peters-
burgh.
The Minister of Public Instruction, St. Petersburgh.
Tam honoured by being made the medium of communicating to your excellency
the expression of the deep sense entertained by the President and Members of the
Asiatic Society of Bengal of the gracious condescension of His Imperial Majesty the
Emperor in viewing and deigning to direct the acknowledgment of their offering to
His library in a manner so honourable and gratifying to them. The splendid medal of
His Imperial Majesty will be regarded by the Society as among the most precious of
the mementos which it possesses of great and distinguished men.
Tam directed to forward a duplicate set of the works formerly dispatched for the
Imperial library at Moscow, together with duplicate copies of two works in Arabic and
Persian, published since the former dispatch.
The munificent gift of books vouchsafed by His Imperial Majesty will prove a
most valuable addition to our stores of Eastern learning.
Allow me to record the expression of the pride which I must feel at finding myself
the intermediate agent in so gratifying a correspondence as the present.
H. Torrens,
Vice Pres. and Sec. Asiatic Soc.
Read the following letter in reply to an offer made by the Society to
furnish the Government of the North West Provinces with copies of the
second map of the Nerbudda River, from Hoosungabad to Mundlaisir, by
Colonel Ousely, now in the hands of the lithographers :—
No. 596.
From A. Suaxesprars, Ese., Assistant Secretary to the Government of the N. W. P.
To Henry Torrens, Ese., President and Secy. Asiatic Society, Calcutta, Dated Agra,
the 17th July, 1845.
Gent. Derr, N. W. P.
Sir,—I am directed to convey His Honor’s thanks for the offer contained in your letter,
of the 28th ultimo, and to state that he will be glad to receive 100 copies of the Map
prepared by Colonel Ouseley, of the Nerbudda river, from Hoosungabad to Mundlaisir.
A. SHAKESPEAR,
Assistant Secy. to the Govt. N. W. P.
Agra, the 17th July, 1845.
Read the following letter :—
No. 811, of 1845.
From F. Curriz, Esa., Secretary to the Government of India,
To the Secretary, Asiatie Society, Fort William, the 28th March, 1845.
Foreicn Dept.
Sir,—I am directed by the Governor General in Council to transmit for such notice
' ————— Cl hh
Ixx Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Aue. 1845.
as the Society may deem it deserving, the accompanying copy of a Journal of Lieute-
nant Rowlatt’s Tour into the Mishmee Hills, North East of Sudiya.
J. Currie,
Secretary to the Government of India.
Fort William, the 28th March, 1845.
The paper was referred to the Editors of the Journal for publication.
Read the following letters and papers from the Society’s London
Agents :—
Duplicate, Original per ‘‘ Duke of Cornwall.”
London, April 21, 1845.
Henry Torrens, Esa., V. P. and Secretary to the Asiatic Society, Calcutta.
Sirn,—We have the pleasure to enclose you a Bill of Lading for a case of books
presented to the Asiatic Society by the Dutch Government, and which we have shipped
to your address by the “‘ Duke of Cornwall.” The case was transferred from the Dutch
vessel to the Duke of Cornwall without any charge being made for duty.—We beg to
enclose you a memorandum of the expenses, which we shall place to the debit of our
account with the Society— We also enclose you a translation of the letter that was to
accompany the Box.—The original is on very thick paper, and we shall take an oppor-
tunity of forwarding it in a parcel. |
We shall be obliged by your favouring us with instructions regarding the disposal of
the large stock of the Asiatic Researches received from Mr. Murray on the 5th March,
1844.— We wrote you respecting the same on the 29th February, 1844, since which time
we have not sold a single volume.
W. H. Auten and Co.
Duplicate.
Astatic Soctery, Cancurtta.
April 19th, 1845.—Case of Books received from Rotterdam addressed Henry
Torrens, Esq., Freight from Rotterdam, Warehousing, Entry, Export
Bond, Dock Charges, and Lighterage, for transhipment ex ‘‘ Batavia” to
the “ Duke of Cornwall,” for Calcutta. Freight and Bills of Lading for
PIES i Vicrasinieccnn micah A ain seas sichonenide: abe hate Wiehe, b ave hated ode thar aony
: W. H. Atten anp Co.
Duplicate, Translation.
Hague, 27th January, 1845.
No. 770—5th Division.
Some time ago I received your letter of September, 1843, enclosing a copy (in your
letter you speak of two copies, but I only received one), of different works in and relat-
ing to the Arabian, Thibet, and Sanscrit languages, published by or obtainable at the
Asiatic Company of Bengal, which works have been placed by the said Company at the
disposal of His Majesty the King of the Netherlands.
AvG. 1845. ] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. Ixxi
His Majesty heard with much pleasure that these works had been sent to him, and
desired me to convey to the Society his best thanks, and at the same time to say that
these works have been placed in the Library of the University at Leyden, where such
works are deposited.
In compliance with your request to procure for the Asiatic Society the works pub-
lished here by the Government relating to Scientific pursuits, I have the honor, by the
authority of His Majesty, to send you the works which are mentioned in the accompany-
ing list ; of the first one we can only send as yet the Botanical part, which is quite com-
pleted. The two other parts treat of Zoology, Geography, and Statistics, which are
already very far proceeded with, but will not be ready for some time, and shall then be
sent to you.
Acquitting myself of His Majesty’s commands, I have to request you to communicate
them to the Asiatic Society of Bengal, and remain, &c. &c.
The Minister of the Interior.
The list referred to is as follows :—
Lyst van werken bestemd voor de Aziatische Muatschappy van Bengalen te Calcutta.
1. Verhandelingen over de Natuurlijke geschiedenis der Nederlandsche overzeesche
Bezittingen. Vol. I. Kruidkunde.
2. Museum Anatomicum Academiae Lugduno Batavae, descriptum af Edwardo
Sandefort, vols. 1,2, 3 et 4.
3. H. A. Hamaker, Incerti auctoris liber de expugnatione Memphidis et Alexandriae.
4. A. Rutgers, Historia Yemanae Sub Hasano Pascha e codice M.S. Arabico edita.
5. H. E. Weyers, Prolegomena ad editionem duarum Ibn Zeidouni epistolarum.
6. H.E. Weyers Nieuwe Proeve om al de Arabische Letters, etc. door het gewoon
Europeesch Karakter onderscheidenlyk uit te drukken.
7- P.T. Veth, Liber As-Sojutii de nominibus relativis.
8. P.T. Veth, pars reliqua ejusdem libri.
9. T. Roorda’s Abul Abbasi Amedis Tulonidarum primi vita et res gestac.
10. M. Hoogoliet, Prolegomena ad editionem celebratissimi Ibn Abduni poematis
in luctuosum Aphtasidarum interitum.
11. A.Meursinge, So-jutii liber de interpretibus korani.
12, T. J.P. Valeton Taalibii syntagma dictorum brevium et auctorum.
Duplicate ; Original per “‘ Wellesley.”
London, June 14th, 1845.
Henry Torrens, Esa. V. P. and Secretary to the Asiatic Society of Bengal.
Sir,—We have the pleasure to enclose youa Bill of Lading fora case to your address
shipped by the “‘ Wellesley,” Captain Toller, containing a bust of B. H. Hodgson, Esq.
which has been executed by Mr. Thornicrott. The Bust is considered a very fine spe-
cimen, and we trust it will give satisfaction to the members of the Society.
Mr. Thornicroft is the son-in-law of the celebrated Francis,* and is much patronized by
Her Majesty and Prince Albert.
The case has been packed with the greatest care and we have had it stowed in asecure
place on board the Wellesley. We would recommend your applying for it immediately
on the arrival of the vessel at Calcutta.
* So in original. Query : Chantrey ?— Eps.
Ixxii Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Aue. 1845.
We beg to enclose an account of the cost of the Bust, and have given credit for
£51 17s. 9d. as per our letter of the 2nd July, 1844, and also for £9 19s. 2d. agreeably
to your letter of the 5th of October, 1844. The balance of £ 34 8s. 11d. can be remitted
to us should you desire it kept separately from our account for the sale of the publica-
tions of the Society, which will be rendered to you by an early mail.
We are, Sir,
Your faithful servants,
W. H. Aen anv Co,
H. Torrens, Ese. Secretary of the Asiatic Society, Calcutta.
1845, June 7th.—Paid for a Marble Bust of B. H. Hodgson,............£ 84 0 0
= », Case for packing, lined with tin and packing, .. 1 5 Q
Entry, Wharfage, Shipping Expenses, and Bills of Lading,.. 012 0
Freight and Primage, £1 2s. 6d., Insurance on £90 at 40s.
per cent. ‘and Policy, floss a oiaw cise vee sicker es cee ene 3 0 6
88 17 6
Cammission, 5 per Gents ave «dec eictsais ne tees a's Sates Wait aes octet 4 8 10
£93 6 4
Cr.
July 2nd, 1844.—By Balance of our account to June 30th,
1844, stated this date, ......- aise toiiaaengt ieee folded rctpwin ome 17-9
», Amount of sale of Journal Asiatic Society
of Bengal to No. 132 carried here as per request in the letter
from H. Torrens, Esq. dated October 5th, 1844,............ 9.19.2
61 16 11
Less paid aset of Bills drawn by youin favor of Mr. A. Bartlett, 219 6 5817 5
£54 811
W. H. Aen anv Co.
With reference to Messrs. Allen and Co.’s wish to receive directions
as to the Volumes of Transactions received from Mr. Murray, it was
resolved that the Secretary be empowered to order back such number
of copies of each volume as he might judge best. It was further
resolved that the Society’s agents be desired to give to the Researches
the advantage of advertising them at proper intervals.
Read a note from Dr. Strong claiming exemption from further pay-
ment of subscription, on the ground of his having been a member for
more than twenty years.
After some consideration it was settled that as no authentic record
of any such resolution appeared, Dr. Strong be requested to produce
some authority and ground for his claim.
Ava. 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. Ixxiil
Read the following note from the Sub-Seeretary with the letter and
lists to which it refers :—
The Sub-Secretary has the honor to report that in reference to Mr. Konig’s application
and the list prepared by Dr. Roer (Proceedings of May 1845) of Sanserit works
published in Calcutta, he has, with the concurrence of the Secretary, addressed letters to:
various learned Hindus in Caleutta, with copies of the list, requesting them to supply any
deficiencies in it. The whole having been returned with the suggestions of those gentle-
men, the list is now further completed ; and may, he suggests, with the addition of
those works sent by the Committee of Public Education be properly printed in the Jour-
nal. He submits herewith the letter of the Committee.
Henry Torrens, Esa., Secretary and V. P. Asiatic Society.
Srr,—In reply to your letter dated 26th July, 1845, I am directed by the Council of
Education to place at your disposal, for the purpose mentioned, the accompanying copies
of the Sanscrit works indicated in your list.
The Council have no stock on hand of such books, as they have all been made over to
the Library of the Sanserit College, from which a larger number than those now sent
cannot be spared. It may, therefore, perhaps, be worth the while of Mr. Konig to
reprint such of them, as may be deemed deserving of and calculated to promote his.
very laudable and useful design. I am directed likewise by the Council to assure the
Society that it will at all times afford them much pleasure to aid the Society in the pro-
motion and extension of Oriental literature in every way in their power.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
Frep. J. Movat, M. D.,
Council of Education, Aug. 9th, 1845. Secretary:
List of Sanscrit Works, by Dr. Roer, L. A. S. and various learned Hindus ; to be for-
warded to Mr. Konig, Bookseller of Bonn.
1. Ashtabings’hati Tatwa, 2 vols.
2. Shankhya prabachana bhashya, | vol.
3. Amarakésha, 1 vol.
4, Abhignasakuntalanatuka, 2 vols.
5. Chhandamanjaribrittaratnavali, 2 vols.
6. Sapnadhyaya, 1 vol.
7. Rajatarangini, 1 vol.
8. Abidhan, 1 vol.
9. Hitépadésa, 1 vol.
8. Sabda kalpalatika, 1 vol.
9. Nirnayasindhu, 1 vol.
10. Vivadachintémani, 1 vol.
11. Bijganita, 1 vol.
12. Kshétratatwadipika, 1 vol.
13. Satika srimadbh4gabat, 1 vol.
14, Satikamanu, | vol.
Ixxiv Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Aue. 1845...
15. Satika bhagabadgita, 1 vol.
1G. Satika prab6dhachandrédayanataka, 1 vol.
17. Rudrachandi, 1 vol.
18. Panchapakhi, 1 vol.
19, Atrisanhita, 1 vol.
20. Vishnusanhita.
21. Haritasanhita.
22. Yajnavalkasanhita, 1 vol.
23. Angirasanhita, 1 vol.
24. Likhitasanhita, 1 vol.
25. Vydasasanhita, 1 vol.
26. Paras’arasanhita, 1 vol.
27. Katy4yansanhita, 1 vol.
28. Vrihaspatisanhita, 1 vol.
29. Samwartasanhita, 1 vol.
30. Yamasanhita, 1 vol.
31. Ushnasanhita, 1 vol.
32. S/ankasanhita, 1 vol.
33. Apastambhasanhita, | vol.
34, Kamrupayatrapadhati, 1 vol.
35. Vyabastharatnavali, 1 vol.
36. Sudrakrityabichara, 1 vol.
37. Yajurvédivrishétsarga, 1 vol.
38. Daksasanhita, 1 vol.
39. Mathapratishthatatwa, 1 vol.
40. Purushétamatatwa, 1 vol.
41. Chandagyvrishdtsarga, 1 vol.
42. Dibyatatwa, 1 vol.
. Vastutatwa.
44, Vyavahartatwa.
45. Udbahatatwa.
46. Vritatatwa.
47. Prayaschitatatwa.
48. Yajurbédis’radhatatwa.
49, Joétishtatwa.
50. Ekaédas’itatwa.
51. Sradhatatwa.
52. Débatapratishth4tatwa.
53. Anhiktatwa.
54. Dayatatwa.
55. Sanskaratatwa.
56. Tithitatwa.
57. Malamas’hatatwa. 57* Gitagobinda. 57; S’rimonmahanataka.
Sanserit Books, forwarded by the Council of Education.
58. Bhashaparichhéda and Siddhanta Mukt4vali, 2 copies.
59. Laghu Kaéumudi, 1 vol,
aS
co
Ava. 1845.]
60.
GT.
62.
63.
64.
63.
66.
67.
68.
69.
70.
vib
res
73.
74,
75.
76.
vires
o7a.
57b.
57¢,
Daya Krama Sangraha, J
Christa-Sangitta.
Mugdhabédha, 1 vol.
Manusanhita, 2 vols.
Mrichehhakati, 1 vol.
Mitakshara, 1 vol.
Bhatti Kavya, 2 vols.
Mudra Rakshasa.
Nyaya Sutra Vritti.
Sahitya Darpana.
Védanta Sara.
Daya Bhaga.
Vyavahira Tatwa
1 1 vol.
Kavya Prakas’a.
Malati Madhava.
Vikramarvasi.
Uttra Rama Charitra.
Ratnavali.
Raghuvansa.
Second Edition.
Parbatiyépadésa.
Matapariksa.
57d. Niatnédantidétsa, —
Proceedings of the Asiatic Society.
Ixxv
The Secretary presented also on the part of Dr. Sprenger, Principal
of the Delhi College, lists of the works and translations published by
the Vernacular Education Society, which were ordered to be printed
and are as follows :—
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Ixxvill Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Aue. 1845.
sista yP Bors phe ROS «7543 AS om Asef ys] rics”
List of Urdoo Translations published by the Vernacular Education Society.
History: of Pathiays'es.sc ese Ar Ot AOE OaS UA in elofstve.«iatasieinioie Gicin's ofavorete Re. G10 0
POT OF Taman 5. ici o'ei0:6' 00'nev alu etegieheaia srareisiete Oia 8 sietslescsietcte ceensuucieek le O
Meow Bengal, .. tcs. sss ols: atwie' eam ats win BRe aie’ a stata ic'eve deus aidisiaig:s actin aes OO
Diol Persp, noc eesecs coe os a.aieaietepelaialatee elles clste.s sienteetents o daieeieiten: na TOe TG
Ditto: of Maheomedaniom, «o's osccisedetie wee ent ere utc t aeinot ey cr ee 3 8 0
. Marshman’s Brief Survey of History, Parts Ist and 2nd, ...ccsceses-seeeee ob: 0 0
| Marshman’s Civil Regulations, ..ee....ssseeees Edi aseis.¢-s.eu vice ace ee 15: 0° 0
Fimmdeo Lid) oso.eke.c scsccciemein tien eeetier Bictale aleiefaivieieie’eic <i «ie o'cleinis on SE Oe
Mahomedan, Law, « <s:so.0's sic c'sis.0,0 0-0/6 0s cielo sinieletelereicjatele bie a en ciaveiece e siaie aici i anmnEnnnS cant
Mahomedan Criminal “Law,, <5 oo ci.s.oe':e sceieiule.e #'5 10,9 isle 6:66 0.60 occ oo seamen
Mahomedan Law of Inheritance, . .. secccccesc.e see ais. ois a canoe. 6: eae 18 0
Principles of Legislation, .........+ ait cei ctaleiete hyd ete ala ofits Gate diasietoaetee in 5 O*-0
Ditto of Public Revenues eoeecem er pwer ess elnlvisiotefavetetelelars |< tte), alee eet) eRe 10)
Dittoof Government, .2/icie/a-cire ncietinn alcieatetione sieve auicisteinia tare is sels Svolsatee snetmee: 0) 0
Ditto of the duaw of WNations: vite wis aye\siele/eleieioieicisieitisiactts « aysleiw 6 elerevatatgisleta ame maean ee Ona
Assistant Magistrate’s Guide,......+. oes Bde cite weialeielaje it eie'n e'o\e ule cialetsi ame O00)
Prinsep’s A bstraet Of Civil Law jc sini ioe nanin ~ vioiaje ns sivielerg ohele eiaio’einig wiglelelpenen 2 at NO
‘Political: Feonom yen crcmieie aioreleislaiaieteteteneme sae oe) tate iloacies sev orients 2 O80
Logic or Shumseea, ....00...- ip aha afl ahs sielava'eaieis Sharelele mui les! eee ae 1 sic
Introduction to Natural phlei ai Sitedissiehiniare:s di Rvteiathtessa's Are 5 wm 2 8. OC
Arnottis PAYsiGs, 50:5 </cia vis secre ctamonatente! tele bisa we elmyateyejals'el aie = -etelean oteiate a8 0
Principles of Seeaah see siasaldfelsiataoie’s vice sfapelsois ete ots crepe a bighensiepaiets ders ~.0
Trigonometry, Conic Sections, &. ....+0+... 8 Rieveesode SiSIS cig eieai sua) Sigman 4 0 0
Differential and Integral Caleulus, osylece nice s'e she oe-mesau 2 <cfe claws oi slater gm Oe
Euclid, (8 Books,) ...... § chaise relere @ tae ithe. «Yeksps wieeeet were ens tates Ceaee eae Mite
naar aa manapege Vinal # iste ocecie iptiwine'e oe 6i Be nl a Olas eee
Shahnama,. otc 0 0 bide Oesisnets eh dhaelain Mele dle olive ka icld ph sietelia Bietalele p ereiele elvefeie hale 4 00
Wh ieos, Se oie a woe .a oan Sr saRMEONeG @ eis eevee ala heteceett ee ence wie con'o feral coiatsts anne nC
Selections from the most ae aie Hindoostance ORI rehs ie oie ean clade tee 3.0 0
rer EN ig Se ei sie Wave's: 0) ener slentt ie s-sreclaistw dhe eostatale ayes o ehtiete Sia" thal tees 2 O00
P92 yo es a a BE? SA PAPE Se Re NE me ION dU ih,
Urdoo Grammar, by Moule ei Ny We cssses cigs ghalerete Wt souahshd 2 esabeate evoke oS og
Ditto dittonby Abpiyd Ally, +...adeeesou. «ode steno Siete mace e aneTal wate a ae 10+ Oe
Hudayakool Balaghut, (a Treatise on Rhetoric,) ....sscsccseseeccoececeee 1 8 0
Books in the Press.
Grammar of the English language for Madrasshas.
Wayland’s Political Economy.
Toozuk Timooree.
Urdoo Exercises.
Ave. 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [xxix
Mookhteser Koodooree.
History of India, (from Timoor to Shah Alum.)
Revenue Regulations.
Maritime and Inland Discoveries.
Paley’s Natural Theology.
Simson’s Mathematical Instruments.
Books under Translation.
Whewell’s Mechanics.
Herschell’s Astronomy.
Royle on the productive resources of India.
A Treatise on preservation of Health.
Ditto ditto on Physiology.
Mineralogy, (from the Arabic.)
Geology, (from Ditto. )
Sanscerit Dramas.
General Geography.
Susruta on Medicme.
Principal Transactions in India, from 1813 to 1823.
The Kuzzil Bash.
Life of Runjeet Sing.
DeMorgan’s Arithmetic.
Druitt’s Vademecum of Surgery.
Persian Reader with Urdoo notes and vocabulary.
Several other books have been accepted and will shortly be translated.
Read the following letter from Lieutenant C. B. Young, Bengal
Engineers, accompanying the drawing to which it refers :—
To H. Torrens, Esq. Secretary to the Asiatic Society.
My pear Str,—I have the pleasure to send you the drawing of the brass statue of
the Hindoo deity Goorur-jee at Joseemuth. A late traveller in the Himalaya has sup-
posed it to be of Grecian construction and representing the God Mercury. The former
from its excellent workmanship may not be improbable, but it has wings neither to the
head dress nor feet, nor has it a caduceus of any kind in the hands, which are joined as in
the act of prayer. It corresponds with the representation of Garuda or Gurura given
in Coleman’s Hindu Mythology, having the wings and the hooked nose, and in addition
the zennaar and ornamental parts of various kinds, as the tiara, halo, jewelled earrings,
necklaces, bracelets, armlets, and anklets. The whole construction as you will see from
the drawing (which is as faithfully copied in every respect as possible and without any
flattery ) is very far superior to the generality of Hindoo workmanship, and the whole
form and expression of the statue are graceful, elegant and tasteful.
The statue is in the town of Joseemuth at the junction of the Vishnoo Gunga and
Doolee rivers, and the residence of the Rawul of Buddreenath, but it does not seem to
be much valued either from its sanctity or workmanship, as though the Rawul’s residence
Ixxx Proceedings of the Asiatie Society. [Aue. 1845.
is close at hand it is left without protection of any kind, in the open air on the top of a
rough structure of stones, among’ a few old half ruined temples.* I did not measure its
height, but it is about two feet. The general colour somewhat darker than I have made
it, more weather stained and like bronze. The pedestal is east and hollow. The left wing
has been broken off and replaced crooked. The clasps of the sacred thread and of the
necklace and anklets are made of the cobra’s head. The whites of the eyes are silvered
over. At the back of the circular halo are two iron brackets apparently for supporting
a staff of some kind. In conclusion of the above, which I hope you will not think too
prolix for so slight a subject, and regretting that I am not able to give you more learned
particulars, I would merely add that the natives only say of it, that it has been there a
very long time and originally fell from heaven.
I remain, your’s faithfully,
C. B. Youne, Lieut.
Almorah, July 18th, 1845. Engineers.
P. S.—There is no writing or inscription of any kind on it.
The Secretary further stated that he had received from Major Leech,
C. B. five portions of the Manuscript to the map of the Kuruk-khetra
promised by that gentleman, (Proceedings June, 1845,) and that he
proposed to publish it together with the map with a translation in
opposite pages of the Journal.
After some conversation it was resolved that the Manuscript be
referred to Dr. Heeberlin for examination and report, &c.
Read extract of a letter from Col. Ousely, Agent to the Governor
General South West Frontier, to the Sub-Secretary, relative to the me-
moir which accompanied it, and which had been sent to the printers to
appear with the map, in an early forthcoming number of the Journal.
I have the pleasure to send a memorandum, relative to the survey and map made of
the Nerbudda under my superintendence, by a clever Mahratta, Ramchunder Maha-
doo, of which a part was published with Mr. Shakespeare’s note on the Navigation of
that river, in No. 151, 1844, of the Journal. |
Chota Nagpore, Aug. 2, 1845
Read letter from Raja Radhakant Deb :—
To the Secretary of the Asiatic Society, Bengal.
Dear Sir,—I have the pleasure to send you the 5th Volume of the S’abda Calpa
Druma, and hope you will do me the favor to place it with the preceding four volumes
in your Society’s Library.
Your’s faithfully,
4th July, 1845, Rapuakant.
* The public road to Buddreenath passing along side it.
Ave. 1845. | Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. Ixxxi
Read a note from Capt. Latter as follows :—
My pear Sir,—I beg to send for presentation to the Society a portion of a very inter-
esting Boodhist sculpture, I will in a short time forward a paper illustrating it.
Your’s sincerely,
Tuos. Latter.
Read notes from Major Wroughton and Col. Stacy to the Sub-Secre-
tary :—
My pear Pippincton,—I received the accompanying note from my friend Colonel
Stacy. I send the marble Sculpture at the same time, and if you will be good enough
to do with it as Colonel Stacy advises you will much oblige me. You can keep Colonel
Stacy’s note as a voucher that his wishes on the present occasion have been complied
with.
Ballygunj, July 25th, 1845. Rozr. WrovucuTon.
My pear Wrovcuron,—Let me request you to send the White Marble Sculpture to
Mr. Piddington, Assistant Secretary, Asiatic Society, begging that after the Society have
satisfied themselves of its beauties, it may be placed with the rest of my property there.
The Mosque of which it formed a part is at KellaBeese, 14 marches nearly west of
Kandahar. I sent down a collector for coins, and he brought me, on a subsequent trip,
three camel loads of stone sculptures, one of which is the present subject, most ancient
Togra Arabic with Grecian Band.
Your’s sincerely,
Puttyghur, 17th July, 1845. J. Stacy.
Also the following note by the Sub-Secretary, the sculpture to which
it relates being in the room :—
Supposed Buddhist sculpture from Muttra, and a stone with an Arabic Inscription,
presented through Captain P. T. Cautley, by Colonel Stacy.
Read the following extract of letter from Walter Elliot, Esq. M. C.S.
to the Sub-Secretary, acknowledging plans, papers, and a number of
the Journal relative to the language and antiquities of Dipaldinna and
Amrawatty, which have been forwarded him on the part of the Society
in aid of his proposed researches in that interesting part of India :—
To H. Pippineton, Esa.
My pear Srr,—Allow me to return you my best thanks for the kindness with which
the Society has attended to my request made through Mr. Torrens for copies of the Dipal-
dinny plans, and for the trouble you have further taken to send the rest of the information
bearing on the subject, which must have cost you some pains and time to search out, and
IXxxii Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Aue. 1845.
for which therefore I feel the more grateful. All your communications have been safely
received, the four parts of the MS. copy of Colonel McKenzie’s memoirs in the Asiatic
Journal, the Number of your Society’s Journal with the Amrawatty Inscriptions and
Alphabet, and lastly a few days ago the tin case with the plans. I am now fully armed
for a campaign against the Buddhist remains at Dipaldinny and I hope in a few days to
be able to go there. If I find any thing interesting I will let you know. This district is rich
in Inscriptions, and I have already collected enough to afford a tolerable outline of its his-
tory from the 5th century. The successive predominance of different dynasties is very dis-
tinctly marked by the periods within which the grants made by them occur, while occa-
sional interregna are filled up by the short-lived importance of petty local chiefs, who
strutted their hour upon the stage in the plumes of royalty, bestowing lands and cows and
villages with all the formality of imperial phraseology. I have been disappointed with the
very meagre list of the Gujpati Kings of Orissa in Prinsep’s Tables. Stirling says the
lists at Juggernath are full and complete and yet he did not give them. Prinsep seems
merely to have taken what he found in Stirling, and I find many names here not included
inthe table. The Tables in Part II. are well worth re-publishing with the additional
information obtained since they were first compiled. I have got very ample materials
for lists of the southern dynasties, but I defer making use of them in hopes of getting
more. Many others have done the same and the whole of their labors have been lost—
witness Ellis and McKenzie ; I often find myself going over the same ground that they
have done. Wilson sent me out three MS. folios of the catalogues only of McKenzie’s
Inscriptions, but the Inseriptions themselves are I suppose in the India House, where
they are quite useless. Pray make my best acknowledgments to Mr. Torrens and say
how much I feel obliged to him and believe me, my dear Sir,
Guntoor, June 27th, 1845. : | Watrer Extzior.
Read the following extract from a letter from Lieut. A. Cunningham,
R. E., accompanying the paper to which it refers :—
To H. Pipprneton, Ese.
My pear Sir,—Herewith I have the pleasure to send for publication in the Journal
of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, a notice of some very interesting and unpublished coins
of the Indo-Seythians. I send one plate of the coins with the article, that you may be
able to lay your hands upon the 600 copies of the plate which I sent down three years
ago.
A. CunnIncHam,
Gawlior, 12th June, 1845. Lieut. Engineers.
The Presiding Member, Charles Huffnagle, Esq., exhibited to the
Society the curious piece of sheet copper forming the subject of the
followg memorandum, on which was clearly to be read the words two
foot in chalk coloured by a thin oxidation of copper, but having dis-
tinctly preserved the copper below it from further wear, as stated in the
note :—
Ave. 1845.| Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. Ixxxili
T have it in my power to exhibit a very interesting fact to the Society this evening.
Through the kindness of Captain Kelloch, of the steam ship Bentinck, I now shew you
piece of sheet copper taken from the steamer ‘‘ Hindoostan.” This copper was placed
upon the ship in England, and since it was there fastened the ship has passed over about
100,000 miles. You will perceive that a chalk mark made upon the copper still remains !
and the portion of copper under this chalk mark is of the original thickness, while the
friction, &c., has worn away every other part of its surface. Since this interesting disco-
very the owners of the ship 4/neas have chalked over the whole of her copper with the
hope of thus preserving it.
Read the following extract of a letter from Dr. H. Walker, Surgeon
to the Right Hon’ble the Governor General.
My pear Mr. Torrens,—I have the pleasure to send you a list of books on Zoology,
&c., required for the Library of the Asiatic Society. A large proportion of these works,
however, treat of science in general.
On a rough calculation, I think the cost ought not to exceed 10,000 rupees.
Many of the books are of antient date. These, the society’s bookseller, should seek out
in the catalogues of second-hand books, such as Bohn’s, &ce.
Some works I have not inserted on account of the expense, such as, Viellot and Le
Valliant’s Birds of Africa—also Spix and Martius’s Zoology of Brazil. The list com-
prises complete sets of the Transactions of the principal learned Societies of Europe and
America—those of the French Institute—of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Berlin—
of the Academies of St. Petersburgh, Stockholm, Copenhagen, &c. It also com-
prises the Natural History of the voyages which have been undertaken from time to
time by the Governments of Europe and America.
If you can obtain the sanction of the Society for the purchase of these books you will
do more for the good of the Institution and for the promotion of science than has been
done for a long time before in this country.
Barrackpore, 11th August, 1845.
The Secretary stated that he proposed to lay before the Society a
financial statement; when the means of gradually compassing this
important purchase could be discussed.
In reference to this subject the Sub-secretary stated that in vol. V.
of the Society’s Journal, p. 190, there was a letter printed from M.
Guizot, then Minister of Public Instruction in France, formally pre-
senting to the Society a copy of M. Jacquemont’s work printed by the
French Government, of which the Society had only received a few
numbers. The Secretary was authorised to apply in form for the
remaining ones.
The Secretary stated that he had to present a valuable paper on
Revenue matters from James Alexander, Esq., C. 8. which he propos-
ed to print in an early number of the Journal.
Ixxxiv Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Aue. 1845.
The Secretary presented on the part of the Rev. M. Barbe, Mission-
ary, a paper on the hill tribes in the interior of Chittagong, which he
proposed to print at an early date.
Report or tue Curaror Georocicat AND MineratocicaL Drrartment, anp Mu-
sruM oF Economic GEOLOGY FOR THE MONTHS oF JUNE AND JULY.
GEOLOGICAL AND MINERALOGICAL.
We have to announce here a valuable series of eight papers on the Geology of
Southern India by our indefatigable contributor Captain Newbold.
And these papers are the more valuable as they describe sections across the whole
Peninsula. I need not refer Geologists and scientific men in general to this gentleman’s
papers already published in our Journal, that of the Royal Asiatic Society, and Madras
Literary Society, to give them an idea of the value of this contribution. We are pre-
paring the lithographic diagrams, and the papers will appear in regular succession in the
Journal.
Lieut. Sherwill has also sent us a note, with two capital sketches of some very sin-
gular sandstone concretions near Sasseram, of which I have the pleasure to exhibit the
lithographs, which however, though the artist’s drawing was good, have become some-
what confused in the printing and by no means do justice to Lieut. Sherwill’s capital pen
and ink sketches.
In pursuance of the suggestion made in my report, and approved by the Society, the
following letter has been addressed by our Secretary to the Private Secretary to the
Right Hon’ble the Governor General. It could not be sent in before, the map having
the been returned to Lieut. Sherwill to mark the heights, &c.
The Private Secretary to the Right Hon'ble the Governor General.
Sir,—I am desired by the Asiatic Society to request that you will be pleased to bring
specially to the notice of the Right Hon’ble the Governor General the highly meritori-
ous exertions of Lieut. W. S. Sherwill, 66th B. N. I. of the Revenue Survey ; that
gentleman having, in the intervals snatched from the very laborious duties of a Survey
officer, constructed a beautiful Geological map of the province of Behar and made a
valuable collection of 375 large specimens to illustrate it, together with a memoir, all of
which he has placed at the disposal of the Asiatic Society, which is farther indebted to
him for other communications and presentations, of minor but still of very considerable
importance.
The Society believe that there is scarcely any instance yet on record of a public
officer adding so zealously and largely to his public duties, and so usefully advancing
our scientific knowledge of the district in which he is employed, and have thus they con-
ceive a pleasing duty to fulfil in respectfully bringing it to the notice of the Right Honor-
able the Governor General. Lieut. Sherwill’s Geological map accompanies the present
for the inspection of the Right Honorable the Governor General, after which I have to
request its return.
Museum, 26th July, 1845. H. Torrens,
V. P. and Secretary, Asiatic Society.
And the following reply has been received :—
H. Torrens, Esq. Secretary, Asiatic Society.
Sin,—I am directed by the Governor General to acknowledge the receipt of your
AvuG. 1845. | Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. IXxxv
letter forwarding a map constructed by Lieut. Sherwill, 66th B. N. I. which has been
laid before his Excellency.
I am at the same time desired to state that the Governor General considers the map to
be admirably executed, and that Lieutenant Sherwill deserves great credit for devoting
his leisure hours to scientific pursuits, and for presenting to the Asiatic Society the result
of his exertions.
I beg to return Lieut. Sherwill’s map, and to remain,
C.S. Harpince,
July 30th, 1845. Pid
On application to government we have been kindly favoured with a set of the
Revenue Survey maps of the Lower Provinces as far as completed, being in all, as per
accompanying list, 131 sheets. The constant references which we have to make for local-
ities render these maps together with those of the North West Provinces formerly obtain-
ed, of much value to us.
Museum or Economic Geouocy.
We have had referred to us a specimen of (Assam?) Lignite by Messrs. Mackey, the
examination of which is worth putting on record, as adding one more to those tabulated
by Mr. James Prinsey, it is as follows :—
Report on a specimen of Lignite (sent as coal) for examination to the Museum of Econo-
| mic Geology.
This specimen is not coal but lignite, i. e. wood reduced to carbon, and often impreg-
nated with other matters, as iron, silex, &c. The locality whence obtained is not men-
tioned and I may note here that it always should be so. The clay and sandstone sent
with it resemble those of Assam.
RSE UAL 1G nists a a asl valle Bia. oss sisicin nee oisicis soe aeceie Lud
It contains in 100 parts.
NEED crue io tere iafeisisiavere’s Bs Se rar ee <2 200
CanbOnras) -Sievalae« Mists ele siete letra wacok te eto MiG OU)
OAM GTIALECI A ite iaiscats Sic/oa nie u'ela We wdimer 20°40
PROMS ol eerelshcielely Cel ovate en fee A Ree Ak mabe So)
99-20
POSSe 3 rere ons arate wiatejoiete 80
100.0
It is thus a poor ferruginous, silicified lignite, the ash being principally iron and silex,
but it may, in common with many of the lignites, be a very good fuel for many purposes
as where heat only or carbonaceous matter (as in smelting metals) be required, but
where flame, as for steam engines is also desired it would probably be insufficient.
Nothing, however, can be said on this head but from a large and proper furnace trial.
It might in some eases be profitable to mix with good coal.
The lignites are in some countries of Europe used as manures both pure and burnt.
H. Pipprncron,
Cur. Mus, Eco, Geology.
We are indebted to Major Glover, of the Madras Engineers, for three boxes of speci-
mens ; his note of them is as follows :—
.
|
Ixxxvi Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Aue. 1845.
My pear Sir,—I have the pleasure to send you three small cases of specimens ; that
marked 6 is from the summit of the Sulloh mountain in Java, and the limestone therein
are from the Bird’s-nest caves on the Bhyt Binning estate, about seven miles from
Buitenzorg. No. 15 contains specimens gathered on the Masulipatam level between that
station and Vizagapatam, and No. 21 is from the vicinity of Tennivilly (Purla) in the
Tanjong agency. I should have called myself, but I am too much pressed for time as the
ship sails this evening. |
J. C. Grover.
July 23rd, 1845. Major, Madras Engineers.
And though without any further references, (which is much to be regretted, ) they are
still valuable and will offer a good selection. I may mention that in the Indian speci-
mens I have found a fine ore of Manganese, of whieh, though the locality is not named,
it may be discovered, and if near to Vizagapatam or Masulipatam, be worth exporting,
Dr. Roer has obliged us with a small specimen of the stone of which the noted
pagodas of Tribenee, zillah Hooghly, are built. It is a dark basalt with abundant
crystals of olivine, and so nearly resembles the stone cannon-balls from the Telhaghurry
pass presented to the museum about two years ago by Mr. Gatfield, that we might sup-
pose them to be from the same bed or dyke ; and this is not impossible since the balls
might well have been made at Hooghly under the Mogul Government and even from
the materials of a Hindoo Pagoda.
Major Ouseley has forwarded to us a specimen of an ore, with the matrix, which was.
brought to him as the copper ore of the ‘‘ Tamba Pahar” (copper mountain), near
Suraykela, and also a bit of copper said to be made from it. This ore, however, is not
copper but good magnetic iron ore ; and this is the second instance in which iron ores
(in the former instance a poor ferruginous silicate sent about four years ago) have been
sent from that quarter as copper. I learn that the native chiefs threaten the direst
punishments to those of their followers who shew the Europeans the mines, as they fear
their being taken possession of by Government, as I believe is always the case under
native rule. And if they really possess copper mines they no doubt derive some revenue
from them.
Captain Shortrede has handed in a few small specimens of iron ores collected on his
road between Jubbulpore and the banks of the Sone. They are mostly Hematites of a
very fine grain and quality, and he states that they are very abundant.
We have received from Professor Zipser of Neusohl in Hungary, the following very
gratifying letter which Dr. Roer has kindly translated for us :—
To the Honourable Asiatic Society of Bengal.
“The Ausburg Universal Gazette having published a Circular from the direction of
the Honourable Asiatic Society with regard to the establishment of a Museum of Econo-
mic Geology, the undersigned, in furtherance of this object, has much pleasure in offer-
ing gratis to the Society his orycto-geognostic collections of minerals of Hungary and
Transylvania.
“We are, is said in that Circular, in almost entire ignorance about India and its
resources, as well as about the causes, by which the progress of that country in several
branches of industry, as, in mines, agriculture, &c. is so much retarded. To develope
its resources, we must be assisted by every information not only respecting India, but also
Ave. 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. Ixxxvil
Europe and America. Deprived of such information, our progress cannot be but small ;
on the contrary, armed with it, we may confidently hope, that the day will arrive, when
the mines, quarries and the soil of India will bring to light the treasures nature has con-
fided to them. We therefore trust, that those who are disposed to contribute to this great
public undertaking, will bear in mind, that nothing, however common it may be deemed
at its native place, is unimportant to us, and that no detail can be too minute, and no
collection too large.”
This explanation gives me the assurance to believe, that my gift will answer your
expectations. I must, however, request you to direct me about the way of transmission.
My collections, which contain only instructive specimens, together with an explanatory
catalogue, will in parcels of a hundred be dispatched, according to opportunity and stock
in hand. As I am in communication with Bremen, the collections might perhaps be for-
warded to you from that place. Hoping you will soon favor me with an answer, I
have the honour to be, &c.
Dr. C. A. Zreser, Professor.
Bergstadt Neusohl in Hungary, 21st Feb. 1845.
Ishould suggest that in replying to it we should be authorized on our side to offer to
Professor Zipser assistance from all the resourses of the Society whether scientific or
literary.
H. Pippincron.
For all the above communications and presentations the best thanks
of the Society were awarded.
Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, OctroBER, 1845.
The monthly meeting of the Society was held on Friday evening, the
3rd. October, at the usual hour, 8. G. T. Heatly, Esq. senior member
present, in the chair.
The proceedings of the meeting of August were read and confirmed.
The following Members, proposed at the August meeting, were ballot-
ted for and duly elected: C. S. Hardinge, Esq., P. S. to the Right
-Hon’ble the Governor General.
Manuckjee Rustomjee, Esq.
And the following new member proposed :
Lieutenant D. Briggs, B. N. I., proposed by R. W. Frith, Esq.
seconded by H. Torrens, Esq.
Capt. Marshall objected to the irregularity of the meetings. He was
answered by the Secretary, that for the last day of meeting there was
nothing to be done, and that it was postponed by order of the Senior
Vice-President. Capt. Marshall said at all times there might be matter
for a meeting, and objected, generally, to the omission of a night of
meeting ; did not think that such irregularity did good to the Society,
and further proposed a resolution bearing upon the pomts agitated by
him, which it was decided, after some discussion, would better be
circulated to resident members as notice of an intended motion to be
brought forward and fully discussed at the next regular night of
meeting.
Capt. Marshall acceded to this suggestion and the Secretary received
instructions accordingly. |
Read the following list of books presented and purchased since the
last meeting :
List of Books received for the Meeting of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Friday, the 3rd
October, 1845.
Presented.
Meteorological Register for July and August, 1845, from the Surveyor General’s
Office.
Calcutta Christian Observer for September, 1845.—By the Editors.
Oriental Christian Spectator, for August and September, 1845.—By the Editor.
xe Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Ocr. 1845.
Proceedings of the Geological Society of London, 1843-44, No. 99, vol. 1V.—By the
Society.
London, Edinburgh and Dublin Philosophical Magazine, No. 173, for April, 1845.-—
By the Editor.
Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, vol. 13, Part II. 1843.—By
the Society. .
Bullétin de la Société de Géographie, Troisieme Série, Tome I. Paris, 1844.—By the
Society.
Jahrbicher der Literatur, 1844, Nos. 105 to 108, 4 vol.—By J. v. Hammer-
Purgstall.
J.a Rhetorique des Nations Moosulmans, Traduite du Persan par G. de Tassy. Paris,
1844, 2 copies.—By the Translator.
Natural History, Diseases, &c. of the Aborigines of Brazil, translated from the German
of Dr. v. Martius, by J. Macpherson, Calcutta, 1835.—By the Translator.
Transactions of the Irish Academy, vol. 20, Dublin, 1845.—By the Society.
Arabic Syntax, by H. B. Beresford, London, 1843.—By the Author.
Note on the Historical Results from the Discoveries in Affghanistan, by H. T. Prin-
sep.—By the Author—2 copies.
Zeitwarte des Gebets, Arabisch und Deutsch, von J. v. Hammer-Purgstall. Wien,
1844.—By the Author.
Map of India, 1845.—By the Hon’ble W, W. Bird.
Grammar of the Language of Burmah, by T. Latter, 1845.—By the Author.
Selection of Papers from the Records of the East India House, 4 vols.—By H. Tor-
rens, Esq.
India House Papers—Marquess of Hastings, 1 vol—By H. Torrens, Esq.
Presented by His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Russia.
Tibetisch Deutsches Worterbuch, von J. J. Schmidt. St. Petersburg, 1841, 1 vol.
Grammatik der Tibetischen Sprache, von J. J. Schmidt. St. Petersburg, 1843, 1 vol.
Der Weise und der Thor, Tibetisch und Deutsch, von J. J. Schmidt. St. Petersburg,
1843, 1 vol.
Mongolisch-Deutch-Russisches Worterbuch, von J. J. Schmidt. St Petersburg,
1835, 1 vol.
Grammatik der Mongolischen Sprache, von J. J. Schmidt. St. Petersburg 1831,
1 vol.
Die Thaten des Bogda Gesser Chans, ausdem Mongolischen wbersetzt, von J. J.
Schmidt. St. Petersburg, 1839, 1 vol.
Ch. M. Fraehnii recensio numorum Muhammedanorum, Petropoli, 1826, 1 vol.
} Jbn. Foszlan’s und anderer Berichte uber die Russen alterer Zeit. Text und Uberset-
zung, von C. M. Frahn, St. Petersburg, 1823, 1 vol.
Die Minzen der Chane vom Ulus Dschutschi’s, von Th. M. Frahn. St. Piers:
“ 1832, 1 vol.
Sammlungen historischer Nachrichten uber die Mongolischen Vélkerschaften, durch
P.S. Palas. Petersburg, 1776—1801, 2 vols.
Archiv fur Asiatische Litteratur, Geschichte and Sprachkunde, von J. v. Klaproth,
Erster Band. St. Petersburg, 1810, 1 vol.
Catalogue de la bibliothéque d’Edchmiadzin, par M. Brosset. St. Petersburg, P.
-Oct. 1845. | Proceedings of the Asratic Society. xcl
Arithmetik (in Georgian) by A. Ponofa. Kasan, 1837, 1 vol.
Monographie des Monnaies Armeniennes, par M. Brosset. St. Petersburg, 1839.
Dictionnaire Géorgien-Russe-Francais, par D. Tchoubinof. St. Petersburg, 1840,
1 vol.
Déscription Géographique de la Géorgie par C. Tsarevitch Wakhoucht, publiée par M.
Brosset. St. Petersburg, 1842, 1 vol.
Podcoigi Jspolunago Zaslygh Geror, etc. par R. J. Chimdta. St. Petersburg, 1836,
1 vol.
Sahb Jshi Jsinle ili Tnoecklin par Kitichimli, Tikstomb. St. Petersburg, 1839, 1 vol.
Assseb-o-Ssseirb ili Semb Planet, etc. par Seuda Mykhammeda Rishi, Kasan, 1832
1 vol.
Kitaiskar Grammatika, Petersburg, 1838, 1 vol.
Mongolbscae Khrestomatie, par O Cobalibseimh, Kasan, 1836-37, 2 vols.
Sogranie, etc. Mongolbscii Beybien, etc. Kasan, 1841, 1 vol.
Grammatika Tyreiko, Tatarchago Kasan, 1839, 1 vol.
Armeno Pyssei Slowarg, Moskwa, 1838, 2 vols.
Persidchae Khrestomatie, Moskwa, 1832-34, 3 vols. in 2.
Mongolbscae Khrestomatie, Kasan, 1836, 2 vols. in 1.
Presented by His Majesty the King of Holland.
Museum Anatomicum Academiae Lugdunae Batavae, descriptum ab Edward et
Gerhard Sandifort, Lugdunae, 1793—1835, Fol. 4 vols.
Verhandelingen over de Natuurlijke Geschiedenis der Nederlandsche overzeesche
Bezittengen, Uitgegeven door J. C. Temminck, 1 vol.
Tabulae craniorum diversarum nationum. Ed. G. Standifort. Lugduni Batav. 1838 to
1843, fol.
Historia Jemanae sub Hasano Pascha, Ed. Ant Rutgers, Lugduni, Bat. 1838, 1 vol.
De Expugnatione Memphidis et Alexandriae liber, vulgo adscriptus Abou Abdallae,
Mohummedi Omari filio. Textum Arabicum ed. H. A. Hamaker, Lugduni Bat. 1825,
1 vol.
Abul Abassi Amedis, Tulonidarum primi, vita etres gestae, Auth. F. Roorda. Lugdunj
Bat. 1825, 1 vol.
Specimen Criticum, exhibens locos Ibn Khacanis de [bn Zeidouno. Ed et. Lat. vert. H.
Engelin. Weijers. Lugd. Bat. 1831, 1 vol.
Nieve Proeve om de Arabische Letters door het gewoon Europeesch Karakter onder-
scheidenlijk uit te drukken. Voorgesteld door H. E. Weijers, Leyden, 1840, 1 vol.
Specimen e litteris Orientalibus, exhibens majorem partem Libri As—Sojutii, de nomi-
nibus relativis inscripti, Arab. ed. P. J. Veth, Lugd. Bat. 1842, 1 vol.
Pars reliqua Libri As—Sojutii, ete. Ed. P. J. Veth, Lugd. Bat. 1842, 1 vol.
Specimen e litteris Orientalibus, exhibens diversorum scriptorum locos de regia Aphta-
sidarum familia, Ed and Lat. vert. M. Hoogoliet, Lug. Bat. 1839, 1 vol.
Sojutii Liber di interpretibus Korani. Arab. Ed. A. Meursinge, Lugd. Bat. 1839, 1 vol.
Taalibu Syntagma dictorum brevium et acutorum, Arab, Ed. and Lat. vert J. J. P.
Valeton, Lug. Bat. 1844, 1 vol.
Books Exchanged.
Journal Asiatique, 4me Série, Tome III., 1V. Nos. 19 and 20, Tome 5th, No, 21.
Caleutta Journal of Natural History, No. 22, July, 1845.
.
x¢cli Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Ocr. 1845.
Atheneum for June 2lst, July 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th, and August 2nd, 1845,
The Asiatic Journal and Monthly Miscellany, No. 24, April 1845, 3rd Series, vol. 4th.
The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal.—By Professor Jameson, January to
April, 1845.
Books Purchased.
Journal des Savants, January to March, 1845.
Classical Museum, No. 8, July, 1845.
Annals and Magazine of Natural History, vol. 15th, No. 101, Supplementary number.
New Cratylus. —By J. W. Donaldson, Cambridge, 1839, 1 vol.
Travels in Kashmir and in the Punjab.—By Ch. v. Hiigel, London, 1845, 1 vol.
Description of Hindoostan.—By W. Hamilton, London, 1820, 2 vols.
Voyage from England to India.—By E. Ives, London, 1773, 1 vol.
Memoir on the Mahrattas.—By V. Blacker, London, 1821, 1 vol.
Read extract of a letter from the Rev. J. Moore, Agra, as follows :—
“* T should be glad if the Society would still further reduce the price of their Books.
I could then be more bold and make larger indents on you.
I shall send your Sanscrit list ina day or two, with such additions as I can glean here.”
The Secretary was directed to enquire to what amount Mr. Moore
hoped to be able to dispose of the Society’s publications, expressing at the
same time its wish to afford him every assistance in so doing.
Read letter from B. C. Colvin, Esq., Officiating Register, Sudder
Dewanny Adawlut, as follows :—
No. 1215.
To the Secretary to the Asiatic Society.
Nizamut Adawlut, Present: J. F. M. Reid, Esq. Judge.
Srr,—I am directed by the Court to transmit to you two Copies of a Report of a trial
for Rebellion held at Maulmain, and the painting and images therein alluded to, for the
purpose of being deposited in the Museum of the Asiatic Society, if deemed fit objects by
the Committee of Papers.
B. C. Corvin,
Officiating Register.
Fort William, the 12th September, 1845. 4 pa
Ordered that, with the best thanks of the Society for this highly
curious communication, the painting be placed in the Museum, and the
Report printed in the Journal.
Read the following letter from W. Prinsep, Esq. relative to the pic-
ture of Mr. Thoby Prinsep.
H. Torrens, Esq. Secretary to the Asiatic Society, Calcutta.
My pear Torrens,—My absence from London, Sir Edward Ryan’s engagements, and
other things have prevented my being able earlier to inform you of the completion of Sir
Edward Ryan’s picture for the Society. It is now however being packed for shipment
and my friend Henderson will advise you when and how itis forwarded to you.
Oct. 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. X¢Clil
The cost of this picture has been: Advanced on first-sitting
aM AVT SINCE sin ala visivie hisleie ou sess sivive sla foisr nace (4 yADoO O
Balance paid this day as per agreement,........ ieee TBO
Freight, Insurance and shipping, by Roberts, Mitchelland Co. 3 10 O
tr) te OO
Thoby and I drew upon you before for £100 on account of the two pictures, Sir
E. Ryan’s and his own. We now draw for £35 at ls. 9d. (or Co.’s Rs. 400)—to meet the
above sum, which we pray you to honor in favor of Roberts, Mitchell and Co., and the
remainder will be drawn as soon as Mr. Say shall have finished the picture of my brother,
but here I am sorry to say we have been delayed by the severe illness of the painter, who
has all this season been unable to proceed with his work. He has very nearly finished the
likeness which is admirable, but the remainder has a good deal to be done to it. I am
however in hopes that the painter, who is now recovering in the country, will before the
end of the year be able to complete the picture, which I am sure will give your Society
great satisfaction—to whom, I beg you will explain that it has been from no neglect on
the part of your delegates that you have not sooner received the pictures which were
ordered.
W. Priwnsep.
Read the following correspondence :—
To H. Torrens, Esa. Secretary to the Asiatic Society.
Srr,—I have received from Lord Derby a quantity of wiring to set up as an aviary,
wherein his lordship wishes me to take charge of any Pheasants, &c. which his corre-
spondent may send up from the hills, or which I may be able to procure for him until
I can get them shipped. And I write now to ask whether it would be agreeable to have
the same set up in the Society’s compound in place of the bamboo erection which is there
at present. In granting permission it would be as well, for form’s sake to acknowledge
the aviary as belonging to Lord Derby, and not to the Society, in case his lordship might
ever wish to have it removed, which however is not very likely. To the Society, its being
built on the premises would often be very convenient.
Your’s respectfully,
E. Buytu.
September 12th, 1845.
Note.
I have to submit the accompanying proposal to the Society :
A handsome aviary put up free of cost would be an object for us to secure. How far,
under existing circumstances, we should be right in countenancing Mr. Blyth, who
already complains of having much too much to do, in becoming the collecting Agent
of an English Ornithologist is a question to be considered.
H. Torrens,
Vice-President and Secretary, Asiatic Society.
September 13th, 1845.
To E. Buytu, Esa.
Sir,—I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter under date the 12th
instant, relative to the construction of an aviary on the Society’s premises.
2. In reply I have to state, that under all the circumstances of the case, the proposal
made by you in behalf of Lord Derby is acceded to.
xciv Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Ocr. 1845.
3. You are requested to submit a note of the probable size of the aviary,and to consult
with the Secretary as to the site, which may be perhaps so selected as to make the object
on ornamental and attractive one on the premises. It is of course understood that the
aviary remains a fixture pending communication with the party at whose cost it is erected,
4. The charge of the birds on account of Lord Derby is a duty which the Committee
eonclude will in no way interfere with your professional pursuits on the Society’s account.
| el
The proposal was generally approved, and the Secretary was requested
to superintend the erection of the intended structure, in communication
with Lord Derby on the subject.
Read the following letter from the Asiatic Society of Ceylon :—
The Secretary of the Asiatic Society of Bengal.
Sir,—I am directed by the Asiatic Society of Ceylon to order for their use the Journal
of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. On your sending me an account of the annual subscrip-
tion an order for the amount shall be sent, in the mean time you will perhaps oblige the
Society by sending a copy of the last addressed to me.
Wo. Knicuron,
Honorary Secretary. |
Colombo, August 18th, 1845.
Resolved that the Secretary be desired to express the gratification of
the Society at the prospect of an intercourse with that of Ceylon, and
to request its acceptance of as complete a set of the Society’s Researches
and Journal as can be now procured, free of expense, and that the same
be regularly forwarded to it in future. ;
Read the following letter from the Baron Von Hammer Purgstall :—
Sir,—I have the honour of transmitting by your channel to the Asiatic Society, the
set of the Vienna Review of the last year, together with a small Arabic prayer-book of
mine, and to be with the highest regard,
Sir, Your’s most humble, most obedient servant,
J. Hammer Purestatu.
Vienna, the 8th of February, 1845.
The beautiful translation of the Arabic Book of Prayer was much
admired, and the Secretary was desired, specially, to express the best
thanks of the Society for this valuable addition to its library. |
Read the following letter of the Chief Librarian to the King of
Prussia :—
To the Honorable the Vice-President and Secretary of the Asiatic Society of Bengal.
Srr,—Having received through His Excellency Dr. Eichhorn, His Majesty’s Minister
of Public Instruction, a copy of the standard works in and upon the Arabic, Sanscrit and
Thibetan language, published by or deposited for sale with the Royal Society of Bengal,
and sent to His Excellency, with your letter dated September, 1843. I feel it an incum-
Oct. 1845. ] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. XeV
bent duty to address you, Sir, begging to accept my best thanks for your kind mediation
in forwarding the valuable gift to Berlin, and to oblige me by expressing to the Royal
Society, my sense of deep gratification at the reception of a present for the Royal Library,
which proves doubly valuable at a moment when the study of Eastern lauguages and
literatures in Berlin is taking a new development by the acquisition of the whole manu-
script collection of the late Sir Robert Chambers, which from His Royal Majesty’s
munificent donation has been incorporated into the institution under my care.
The Royal Library having hitherto not been in possession of any volume of the Inaya,
and now received only the volumes 2, 3, and 4, I should feel exceedingly thankful, if by
your kind interference the first volume was to be added to the gift of the Royal Society,
or perhaps could be procured at our expense, in which case I should be happy to get, if
possible, also the 17th volume of the Transactions of the Royal Society, the only which
we have hitherto be-n unable to procure, and the volumes 1—7 of the Journal of the
Asiatic Society ; the Royal Library being in possession of the Asiatic Researches, T. 1—
16, 18—20 (P. 1, 2,) and the Journal, New Series, T. 8—11, (P. 1, 2.). Mr. Wattenbach
of the house of Huschke, Wattenbach, and Co. at Calcutta, would on account of the
Royal Library willingly repay the expenses incurred by you.
His Excellency intends writing himself in order to thank you for the gift, which has
been disposed of in favour of our institution and of the Library of the University at Halle,
and proposes to send you as a proof of his sense of gratitude, several works published by
order and under the auspices of Government, viz. the complete edition of Aristoteles by
Benker, and the Thesaurus Inscriptionum by Boeckh. As member of the Royal Acade-
my of Science, whose library is distinct from the Royal Library, I may add, that we should
be happy to present you also with a copy of our Transactions from 1825 to 1843, 25 vols,
in 4to. if you would like to receive them; and perhaps the Asiatic Society would agree to
a continual exchange of their Transactions, the library of the Royal Academy being
hitherto not in possession of any of them.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration,
Sir, Your obedient servant,
Dr. PeErrz.
Chief Librarian of His Majesty and Counsellor of Government.
Berlin, 10th June, 1845.
ReEp.iy.
To His Prusstan Masestry’s Cuter Liprarian.
Srr,—I am charged to express to you the high satisfaction of the Asiatic Society of
Bengal at finding that their Oriental publications have been so acceptable to the excel-
lent Institution at the head of which you preside, and that His Majesty has been pleased
to direct His Ex. Dr. Eichhorn to take an occasion of acknowledging them.
I shall have pleasure in procuring if possible, and forwarding free of cost, the Ist Vol.
of the Inaya. The 17th Vol. of our Transactions, I am directed to take an early oppor-
tunity of sending to you from the Asiatic Scciety of Bengal.
The early numbers of the Society’s Journal will, I fear, be procured with difficulty,
and as they are the property of myself in succession to my lamented predecessor, James
Prinsep, not I am afraid without my being compelled to draw on Huschke, Wattenbech,
and Co. for their cost. This is owing to the Journal having been up to the commence-
ment of the year 1843 published as the property, and at the risk of the Society’s Secre-
i
xevi Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Ocr. 1845.
tary, an arrangement now superseded by a better plan of management, its property now
vesting in the Society.
Lam directed to acknowledge with the expression of our sincere gratification the pro-
Bekker’s Arist. mised donation as per margin, and to state that the Society thank-
Boerkh’s Ther. Inst. fully avails itself of the offer to supply from your Royal Academy
of Science, the Transactions from 1825 to 1843, and will eladly continue to interchange
its own transactions for them in future.
I take this occasion of stating that you will, I trust, receive by the beginning of next
Istallahat-i-Soofeea, Ed. year, one or two of the latest Oriental publications as per margin.
age ba ote Ed. The Society will also despatch when complete a Sanscrit Antholo-
Soc. Asi. Ben. ey now in the press, edited by Dr. Heberlin, one of its mem-
bers. The second volume of the Naishada, which will make that work perfect, will be
our next undertaking, and will I hope shortly be commenced on.
I have, with the expression of my high respect and consideration, the honour to sub-
scribe myself, &c.
H. Torrens.
Read the following letter :—
T’o the Secretary of the Asiatic Seciety, Calcutta.
Srr,—In forwarding No. VIII. of our J ournal for the acceptance of the Bengal Asiatic
Society, may I request you will do me the favor of submitting to the Committee of your
Society the enclosed Prospectus of our J ournal, which will in future be published by sub-
scription, and not from the funds of our Society as heretofore. In intimating this may I
further request your good offices in obtaining on your side of India subscriptions to the
work ; which will be forwarded per Banghy to any part of Bengal. I shall feel extremely
obliged if you will have the kindness to send back the subscription list at your earliest
convenience.
James Brirp,
Secretary.
Bombay Branch Royal Asiatic ¢
Society, 28th July, 1845.
Ordered that the letter and Prospectus be printed in the Proceedings,
as being the best assistance which the Society can give, and that
names of subscribers be received by the Society for the Bombay A. S.
Prospectus.
Quarterly Journal of the Bombay Branch Royal Asiatic Society, edited by the Secretary.
The Committee of the Society, appointed at the Meeting of the 12th December last, to
audit the accounts and for other financial objects having reported that the expenses of
the Quarterly Journal can be no longer debited to the current Income of the Society, but
must be liquidated from special subscriptions to this individual object ; the Secretary begs
leave to intimate his willingness to carry on this publication under the auspices of the
Society, provided nearly sufficient subscriptions, among the Resident, Non-Resident
Members of the Society and others, are obtainable for defraying the expenses of publica-
tion. Situated so favourably as we are in Western India, for investigating and illustra-
ting peculiar and particular objects of research relative to Hindu Mythology, Philology,
and Histury, we are in possession of exclusive advantages for acquiring novel and useful
information on the Ethnography of the various Asiatic racesand regarding the Geography
Oct. 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. Xcvli
and Natural History of the neighbouring countries ; and on the Paleography and Arts
of their inhabitants ; placed as we find ourselves between Arabia, Persia, and Tartary on
the one hand, and Egypt, Ethiopia, and Africa on the other. With such advantages of
locality it seems incumbent on us and the Society to diffuse and make known that infor-
mation, (on various subjects of Oriental Research,) which many, the Editor has found,
are willing to collect and communicate. No exertion of his shall be spared to make the
Journal as extensively useful and interesting, on all subjects, as the advantages of the
locality naturally promise ; and he is sanguine, from the assistance hitherto given, that
the exertions of contributors will rather increase than diminish. The size of each num-
ber will be generally about a hundred octavo pages with Lithographs : for which it is
proposed to charge Rupees 2 to Members of the Society, and Rupees 2-8 to Subscribers
not Members. The following are the contents of the October Number, now nearly
ready for issue from the Press. Ist. Two ancient Inscriptions in the Cave character and
Sanscrit language translated into English. 2nd. An account of the temple of Somnath,
and translation of a Sanscrit Inscription found there. 8rd. Thelate Mr. Prinsep’s corre-
spondence relative to Indian Antiquities. 4th. Hamaiyaric Inscriptions from Aden
and Saba translated into English. 5th. Geological observations on the alluvial soil of
Sindh, and hills in the neighbourhood of Hyderabad. 6th. Observations on the Runic
Stones of Scotland. 7th. Notice on Hindu gold coins found in the Southern Konkan,
and on the gold Zodiac coins of the Emperor Jehangir. 8th. On the origin of the
Hamaiyaric and Ethiopic Alphabets. 9th. Analysis of a work, entitled Historical
Researches on the origin and classes of the several Cavetemples of Western India. 10th.
Literary and Scientific notices. 11th. Proceedings of the Society.
Atthe January Monthly Meeting of the Society, the following gentlemen subscribed
their names to the continuation of the Journal: and such Resident Members of the
Society as are disposed to support it will favor me with their names and address,
James Brrp,
Secretary,
Bombay Branch Royal Asiatic Society’s Rooms, 23rd June, 1845.
Read the following letter from the Geological Society of London :—
To H. Torrens, Esa.
S1r,—In reply to your application respecting certain missing numbers of the Proceed-
ings of the Geological Society, I am requested by the President and Council of the
Society to inform you, that they have much pleasure in directing that those numbers
should be forwarded to the Asiatic Society of Bengal immediately, and without any
charge.
I am also instructed to express through you the thanks of the President and Council
for the donation of the Researches of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, which they have
received from that Society.
Witi1am Hamitron.
Geological Society, Somerset House, April 5th, 1845.
The Map of India presented by the Society’s late President the
Honourable W. W. Bird, was exhibited and directed to be placed in the
Library.
xevill Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Ocr. 1845.
Read the following note from the Baron des Granges, accompanying
the presentation referred to :—
To the Secretary of the Asiatic Society.
Baron des Granges humbly presents to the Secretary of the Asiatic Society, a few
specimens of his first crop of Nutmegs in his Plantation at Mergui—which Nuts become
more remarkable, as they are not only the first raised, andinso higha latitude as Mergui,
but because they will be under the circumstances, also the last grown at Mergui, at least
in the Baron’s Plantation.
Calcutta, 9th August, 1845.
Read the following letter from James F. Corcoran, Esq. :—
To H. Torrens, Esa., &c. &c. &e.
Dear Srr,—I have been advised by persons who know best about these matters, to
defer the publication of the Guldastae Ishk until the public are somewhat more acquaint-
ed with me; because as that book is a mere collection of tales, and is nigh-priced
besides, I should not get sufficient subscribers for it until people know what ability I
possess to get creditably through such a work. I have, therefore, determined on first
publishing the little book of translation, (whose Prospectus I beg herewith to send, ) in
order that as the price is low and the original in universal estimation, there may be a
chance of its selling well and of paving the way for the more voluminous Guldastae Ishk-
which would then be viewed with some respect ; as a stranger, with whom, though per-
sonally unacquainted, yet of whose merits we have heard enough to give him a warm
welcome.
I entertain great hopes that your patronage will be extended to me, and if, through
your influence, the Asiatic Society would condescend to honor me with theirs, my little ~
work would glide glibly into existence.
James Corcoran.
Calcutta, 23rd June, 1845.
Ordered that the Society subscribe for ten copies of the work, and that
it do afford Mr. Corcoran the advantage of making his work better
known by printing the advertisement and specimens in the Proceedings.
They are as follows :—
Advertisement of a new Translation of Esop’s Fables, into the Urdi Language, by Mr.
James Francis Corcoran. Respectfully dedicated to Robert Haldane Rattray, Esquire,
B. C. S. Judge of the Sudder Nizdmut and Diwéni Addlat.
The Grecian Fabulist has for some years been before the Public ina Hindistani dress;
and some explanation may therefore be deemed necessary, as an apology for the present
repetition. I presume not to say that the translation now offered is better than the one
we have: this the Public must decide. I may, however, exhibit those pretensions to
their patronage which I imagine to be mine; and this done,I will patiently await
their judgment.
In the present version I have endeavoured, first, to render the Urd4 more colloquial
and spirited than it is in the old translation; and, secondly, the moral of each fable has
aan Le halls
Ocr. 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. XCIxX
been attempted in poetry, with the view of enabling the reader to remember its application
to the occurrences of life.
The Persian Lokman said, that he had learned good breeding from the vulgar, by
never imitating their actions. In like manner I owe an acknowledgment to the former
translator ; since the rock he struck upon has warned me to shape my course, as I hope,
more successfully. He has failed by too rigid an adherence to literal translation ; the
respective idioms of Urdéi and English so materially differ, that what is witty and energe-
tic in the one language, literally rendered in the other becomes dull and vapid. A par-
donable licence has accordingly been taken, whenever the genius of the original or the
turn of the dialogue appeared to require it. I have not, however, indulged in too many
liberties with my author ; bearing in mind that “ between freedom and impertinence
there is but a step.”
Occasionally, a trifling addition has been made to the moral of the fable ; with an
attempt to avoid sameness, by exhibiting the sentiment, sometimes in lively, sometimes in
serious, verse.
It is proposed to print at present, Part Ist of the Translation, comprising 50 Fables,
and during the next quarter of the year, ‘‘ Part 2nd,” provided the humble Translator be
honored and encouraged by the extension of a remunerating patronage.
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Read the following Memorandum from the Sub-Secretary :—
MEMORANDUM.
Extract from a letter from Dr. Sprenger to the Sub-Secretary.
TI have found a copy of the book which I have published on Sufiism here and see the
edition is very correct. The Society would do me a favour if it would send some copies
to Europe for sale to the Asiatic Society at Paris, and to Mr. Norris or Mr. Neal, clerks
to the Asiatic Society in London, requesting them to send the same to Brockhaus at Leip-
sic and other places with the books of the Oriental translation committee, in order to
render the publication known.
The Secretary notes with reference to this Memorandum, that Dr.
Sprenger’s suggestions have already been acted upon.
Ocr. 1845. ] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. ci
Read the following letters from the late Major Leech and R. C.
Cust, Esq., B. C. 8.
To H. Torrens, Esa. Secretary, Asiatic Society.
My pear Sir,—I have the pleasure to inform you that I will despatch by banghy dawk
to-day or to-morrow, for presentation to the Asiatic Society, three other MSS, relating
to the History of the Afghans, and a History of Herat, with the commencement of our
Abstract of the same.
It had been my intention with the above materials and those already in the possession of the
Society (History of the early Abdalees) and with the History of Ahmud Shah Duranee
forwarded yesterday, to have compiled a History, but I have not hitherto had, nor do I
see any prospect of my ever having the requisite leisure.
An accident moreover that my small library met with (vide the damaged state of the
MSS.) a few months ago, has determined me to lose no time in placing the valuable
MSS. ina safe place.
The Society are of course at liberty to put them at the disposal of any person having
more leisure than myself to extract what is interesting in them,
R. Leecu,
lst AG, GA. NW: P:
Umbalah, 7th August, 1845.
To H. Torrens, Esa.
My pear S1r,—I have the pleasure to inform you that I will to-day or to-morrow
transmit by banghy dawk, for presentation to the Asiatic Society, the History of Ahmad.
Shah Duranee, in Persian, accompanied by an abstract of the same. I have every
reason to believe that the work isa scarce one. It was procured by me after several
years’ search in Afghanistan. The original (the one from which this is a copy) is in the
possession of one of the Princes at Peshawar.
R. Leecu,
iste GeGwa., Ne WP.
Umbalah, 5th August, 1845.
To H. Torrens, Esa.
My pear Sir,—Among the papers upon the table of my lamented friend Major Leech,
I found when taking charge of his office at Umbalah a letter from yourself, dated the 20th
ultimo, open, but unanswered, conveying to him the thanks of the Asiatic Society for
his map of the Kurukhetra. He received ita few days before he died, and one of his
last acts was giving instructions to his Pundit and Mapper, with regard to the comple
tion of the interesting work, which he had in part forwarded to you. In this part of
the world we have much to regret his loss, and his papers shew the number of scientifi-
and curious researches in which his active mind was unceasingly employed, of the results
of which the Journal of the Asiatic Society has more than one specimen. Some of the
works which he forwarded to Govt. have not yet seen the light. I trust that they may
(especially a contribution upon the subject of the Sikh religion) some day be published.
It appears from your letter about the Kurukhetra that you are in the belief that the whole
of the narrative to accompany the map has been forwarded to you :—if I am notin error,
a great portion is still unfinished, but I have directed the Punditemployed to proceed in
his works, and if you desireit I will forward it to you. I have been aware of Major
cil Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Ocr. 1845.
Leech’s interesting project from the first day that it was started by him, and I trust
therefore that I shall be able to assist you to whatever may appear necessary to complete
it. Iam having a copy of the map made in the Persian character,—and I should suggest
also having a translation of the narrative also made in the Persian language, as after all
Sanskrit is a language known only to few, and the Maha Bharata itself is better known in
its Persian translation, I suspect, than in the original: at any rate publishing the map and
pamphlet in Persian, would greatly extend the publicity of the work, though I am afraid
it would entail a considerable additional expense on the Society. I am having a
copy also of the map prepared in Goormukhee, the sacred character of the Sikhs; and here
a question is started whether a work should not be struck off in that character also. The
whole of the Kurukhetra is included in the territory of the Sikhs—the chiefs who now
possess the country, except those parts which have lapsed to us, know and read no other
character, and one of Major Leech’s objects was to present to each chief a copy of the map,
if possible one of an ornamented kind (perhaps in gold letters on parchment )—of course
the value would to them be increased if they could read the names on the map, and
understand the words of the account, which they certainly would not do in Persian
or Sanskrit. It would be a desirable result if these chiefs could be prevailed upon in
return for the compliment of the map to subscribe towards establishing an efficient college
for the study of Sanskrit and Goormukhee at Ghanesun, a holy place within the limits of
the Kurukhetra. We have an inefficient college for Sanskrit at Umbalah, but on a very
limited scale. Do you think the Society would object to making a donation to the Pundit,
who has been zealously employed in this work for six months? Major Leech’s sudden
death has of course left the accounts of all the parties employed unsettled. I feel too
happy to take upon myself all charges connected with so interesting an undertaking, but
the Pundit with a natural pride in his work seemed anxious for some acknowledgment
from the higher powers. I therefore take the liberty of bringing it to your notice. He is
the head of our Umbalah Sanskrit College.
Rosert Cust,
Civil Service.
Simlah, 12th September, 1845.
The letters being read the Secretary begged leave to express to the
Society the irreparable loss it has sustained in the death of Major Leech ;
a gentleman not less distinguished for his eminent services as a public
officer than for his professional abilities and extensive knowledge of native
languages, history, manners and customs ; his untiring zeal and industry
in researches connected with these subjects, and the noble liberality of
mind with which he on so many occasions has communicated the fruits
of his knowledge and labour for the public benefit from 1838, in which
year his first contribution, A grammar of the Brahooee, Beloochee and
Punjabee languages, adorned the pages of our Journal. Vol. VII. p. 780.
There is indeed too much reason to fear that, like the lamented James
Prinsep and others, Major Leech has fallen a victim to excessive mental
labour; adding another to the long catalogue of the truly noble men
a ee ee
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Oct. 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatie Society. ciii
who have perished in their exertions to forward, in common with the
Asiatic Society, the high task and duty of every liberal, right-mind-
ed, and educated Englishman in this country—the task and the
duty of aiding in every way to give to the British power in India,
for the great ends which it has yet under Providence to accomplish,
those means and that stability which can only be found and assured for it
by the one great essential to the right exercise of the power of every
foreign government—an intimate knowledge of the country and of the
people over which it rules.
Read the following letter from Capt. Phayre, Bengal Native Infantry,
Assistant to the Commissioner of Arracan.
My pear Torrens,—I have just arrived here from Sandoway,and as Latter is here and
I am anxious to have the advantage of comparing along with him all the various Ara-
kanese coins, will you kindly put those you have of mine on a wax-cloth package, and
send them by dawk banghy bearing postage to my address at this place. Latter is
working away gloriously and will produce many a fine paper on Boodhism—he has made
wonderful progress since I last saw him. The Society’s Journal will, I hope, receive
many contributions from him. Pray don’t forget the coins, and believe me,
Very truly your’s,
A. P. PHayre.
Akyab, Sept. 25th, 1845.
I know not if you recollect an English translation of a part of the Dhammathat you
once sent to Major Williams down here ; if you can forward it to me I can now compare
it with an original I possess.
The Secretary noted with infinite regret that these coins had shared
the fate of our collection, and he was requested to inform Capt. Phayre
accordingly.
Read the following letter from the Zoological Curator :—
To H. Torrens, Esa. Vice-President and Secretary, Asiatic Society.
Sir,—Among the Rodentia of Captain Hutton’s Afghanistan collection, is a small
animal which I described long ago in the Society’s Journal by the name Georhychus
fuscocapellus, placing it thus among the Lemmings ; but now that we have specimens of
the true Scandinavian Lemming in the collection, I find that the Afghan species can no
longer be admitted exactly into the same genus, and am under the necessity of esta-
blishing a new one for its reception.
Under these circumstances, I write to request that Mr. Hendrie be employed to figure
this animal and its skull, as was done with the Caprologus, and that on the second or skull-
plate, I may also have represented certain crania of Scindian and Afghan Hedgehogs which
it is desirable should be figured.
An extra copy of the last No. of the Journal has been forwarded to Major Jenkins,
containing the figures and description of Caprologus ; and with respect to the additional
civ Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Ocr. 1845.
wiring required for the aviary, I expect to able to furnish an estimate of the expense at the
Society’s forthcoming meeting.
Your's very respectfully,
E. Buytn.
Asiatic Society’s Museum, lst Oct. 1845.
The proposed plates were sanctioned.
Read extract of a letter from J. Muir, Esq. C. 8., transmitted by
Messrs. Ostell and Co. as follows :-—
There are among the Researches of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, two papers on the
Religious Sects of the Hindus, by Professor H. H. Wilson, the first in the 16th vol. con-
taining 136 pp. quarto, and the second I think in the 18th vol., but I have not the
means of referring to it. I should feel obliged by your looking at both papers and
informing me what it would cost to reprint both (1000 copies in octavo, ) in a style similar
to that in which the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal is printed, as to type and
paper. Of course the reprint could be only done by the Asiatic Society, or with its
permission.
(Signed ) J. Murr.
Azimgurh, Sept. 1st, 1845.
Resolved, that the Society will be most happy to allow the reprint of
the papers as proposed, stipulating only that ‘‘ Reprinted from the
Researches of the Asiatic Society, vols. 16 and 17,” appear on the title
page.
Read the following letter from Capt. Latter, Bengal Native Infantry :—
To H. Torrens, Esa.
My pear Torrens,—I send you according to promise, the remarks on the Booddhist
sculpture sent some time since by me to the Society. As my paper is likely in some points
to interest people in Eurepe—might I ask your kind attention to the accents, &c. of the
Greek quotations and to the Hebrew which the compositors are likely to spoil. As also,
that if possible the paper may not be divided. Itis perhaps rather long—but I had so
much to say onthe subject, that I could scarcely make it shorter. Would you kindly
let me have the full fifty copies (I only got thirty of the note on the coin). I propose to
intitle the communication “‘ The Boodhism of the Emblems of Architecture” or any
other which you may think advisable. Phayre begs me to beg you to send him back the
Burmese or rather Arracanese coins. He is very anxious about them, as he wants
to make out a paper, which from what he says is likely to appear very interesting. I am
afraid you will think the communication I now send rather singular—‘ Paul, a master
Mason! !” but I am thinking of inflicting on you a still more singular paper. On the Nine
Sacred Jewels of Boodhism. I am only waiting till Ican get from home Orpheus’
hymn “ Perilithon.”
Tuomas Latter.
The paper accompanying this was referred to the Editors of the Journal
for early publication.
Oct. 1845. | Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. “ey
Read the following letter from M. Lienard, of the Mauritius :—
Monsteur,—Mr. Thomy Hugon m’ayant dit qu’il vous serait agréable d’entretenir
des relations avec Maurice, je viens sous ses auspices vous proposer un commerce
déchange d’objets d’Histoire naturelle.
Pour débuter, je remets a Mr. Hugon, que veut bien s’en charger, la téte et la cau-
dale d’un Istiophore quia été pris sur nos cotes. J’y joins une caisse de coquilles de
Maurice et de Diego Garcia. Parmi celles de Diego vous trouverez une paire de
houlettes que j’ai péchées moi-méme dans l’immense baie de cette ile. Jusqu’ici on croy-
ait que la mer Rouge seule recelait ces bivalves.
Je désire, Monsieur, que ce petit envoi vous soit agréable ; vous pouvez compter que
je ferai tous mes efforts pour satisfaire 4 vos demandes et entretenir ainsi un commerca
quine pourra qu’étre avantageux a tous deux, et qui me sera particulierement agréable :
Je serais flatté aussi d’entrer en correspondence avec la Société dont vous étes membre.
Je suis un peu Zoologiste : C’est vous dire que tout ce que vous pourriez m’offrir en fait
de mammiféres, oiseaux, reptiles, poissons, mollusques, insectes, arachnides, crustacés,
annilides et zoophytes, me ferait le plus grand plaisir: Je me bornerai pour le moment a
vous designer spécialement un objet qui manque 4 mon musée. C’est un jeune Garial.
J’ai des crocodiles de Java, de la cote Malabare, de Calcutta et de Madagascar.
Indiquez moi les objets de notre pays qui pourraient vous étre agréables, Je m’empres-
serai de vos les procurer. Si vous desirez des poissons de mer et d’eau douce, nos cotes
et nos riviéres en fournissent une grande variété. Parmi ceux d’eau douce, nous avons
L’osphronéme, qui nous a été apporté de la Chine ainsi que la Dorade, plusieurs espéces
d’Eleotees, de gobies, des doubles, des megalopes, des ambasses, des anguilles de deux
espéces et le nestis connu vulgairement sous le nom de Chitte.
Si vous voulez bien m’envoyer des poissons du Gange et des étangs du Bengale,
ayez l’obligeance de les mettre dans des vases avec de l’esprit de vin. Je vous renverrai
les vases avec des poissons du pays.
Je remets pour vous 4 Mr. Hugon, une serie d’observations metéreologiques. Je pour-
rais vous envoyer celles que je fais chaque mois.
Recevez, Monsieur, l’assurance de mes sentimens distingues de consideration.
(Signé) LIENARD.
Mon adresse est
Mr. Lienard pére, vice President de la Société d’Hist. Nat. de l’ile Maurice.
Rue de Castries, Port Louis.
The donations referred to have been subsequently received, and it
was ordered that the Journal of the Society be sent to Mr. Lienard from
the commencement of 1845, for the Société d’ Histoire Naturelle.
The Zoological Curator was also requested to prepare a dispatch
of such specimens and duplicates as could be obtained or spared, so
as to meet as far as possible Mr. Lienard’s wishes.
Read the following letter from P. J. Sarkies, Esq. :—
To Henry Torrens, Esa. Secretary to the Asiatic Society of India.
Srr,—A Society having been lately established here by the Armenian community for
the diffusion of useful knowledge amongst their countrymen, called the ‘‘ Araratian Society,
evi Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Ocr. 1845
or Society of Ararat,” I have the honor, by the desire of the members, to address you this
letter, and to request the favor of your presenting gratis to them all the Journals of the
Asiatic Society from its commencement, and to continue the same throughout, for which
they shall feel highly obliged.
Our object in requesting this favor is to translate the useful productions they contain
into the Armenian language, and publish them in our Society’s Weekly Journal, the
‘* Patriot,” for the perusal and information of those of our countrymen, who are unac-
quainted with the English language, both here and at other places. The first number
of the said publication, I beg leave to forward you herewith.
Trusting that this application will meet with the favorable consideration of yourself, and
the members of your Society generally,
I remain, &c.
P. J. Sarktes,
Calcutta, 22nd August, 1845. Secretary to the Society of Ararat.
Ordered that the Society of Ararat be presented with the Journal
from January, 1845, and in future as published.
Read the following correspondence which was approved and ordered
to be published.
To the Secretary of the Asiatic Society.
Srr,—I have the honor to submit through you, to the Committee of Papers, the appear-
ance of a memorandum in the Society’s Journal tending, in a most serious manner, to
implicate my character and reputation in the eyes of my scientific co-labourers, as deliber-
ately advising a measure which is stigmatized in that memorandum with the name of
** scientific fraud.”
The memorandum in question appeared in the Proceedings of the Society for October,
1844, published in the 154th number of the Journal ; and the paragraph to which I would
draw the particular attention of the Committee is No. 6 (misprinted as No. 5).
I freely admit that upon more than one occasion, when thesubject of Burnes’s drawings
was mooted in conversation, and also I think once in an unofficial note to yourself, I
objected to the extreme rudeness and inaccuracy of certain of those drawings, and recom-
mended that if such had to be lithographed, it would be better to correct the outlines
where these were obviously erroneous, by putting such joints and muscles into the limbs
of mammalia as they must necessarily possess, and even improving the attitudes in some
instances, especially as Burnes’s own specimens supply materials for the purpose to a
considerable extent :—but most assuredly I never proposed that such alterations should
be made without due notice being taken of the same, and can only express my astonish-
ment that it should have been thought necessary to place the matter before the world in
the light in which it has appeared.
The purport of my non-official recommendation will be best understood if I adduce
two or three instances ; and these, to the best of my recollection, shall be the very instances
to which my remarks (in conversation) referred.
1. The figure of the Hyena of Cabool (now lithographed) will, in my opinion, dis-
grace the Society’s ‘ Researches,’ if it appears in them: but as the animal is perfectly
well known, I believe I recommended that a proper figure of a striped Hyena should be
designed, and the markings filled up from the drawing supplied by Burnes.
+
Ocr. 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. evil
2. The figure of the wild sheep of the Hindu Kosh ranges, though altogether faulty in
outline, is such that a really good figure might betaken from it, aided by very careful draw-
ings from life which I possess of a closely allied species, the Ovis musimon, and by the real
horns of the animal, of which several pairs were in the collection of specimens forwarded
by Sir Alexander Burnes, and (with the exception of duplicates transmitted to the India-
house, two pairs only being retained for the Society’s collections) now under my charge
in the museum.
3. To cite a bird, I remember instancing the Falco chicquera, of which the beak in
Burnes’s figure is very ill-shaped, and the legs and toes are very much too sleader,—
faults that, with others, might have been corrected (as in various other instances) by a
reference to Burnes’s own specimens. Had I been consulted in the matter, I should have
done my utmost to dissuade the Society from expending money in the representation of
this and many other common and exceedingly well known species, even had they been
represented with the requisite accuracy.
But in suggesting the propriety of such alterations (whether rightly or not so in the
opinion of the Committee), I do most distinctly protest against the imputed charge that
I ever wished them to be effected privately, or in secret,—in other words, that I ever
desired the Society should be guilty of a ‘‘ breach of trust,” which I also would have
considered to amount to “‘a scientific fraud :” and itis due to other zoologists that, I
should now interfere in their behalf, to notice an allegation contained in the same para-
graph of the same memorandum to the following effect :—
“** That the now anxious search of all European naturalists is exactly to find the original
drawings from which local found Ornithe had been published, in order to correct these
flourishes, and interferences of authors and naturalists; who, to make better pictures and
reduce the birds (principally) to their fancied types and systems, had in many instances
created enormous confusion, deprived the original observers of their due credit for active
research and accuracy, and had even made them pass, at least as careless persons, if not
as impostors ; when, on the contrary, the mischief and imposture was the work of the
naturalist editors, publishers, and artists.’’
I believe, sir, that I have the credit, in well-informed quarters* of a tolerably familiar
acquaintance with zoological literature, but I beg to say that I cannot cali to mind one
single instance to which the above remarks apply.
The confusion adverted to has, on the contrary, originated in the blind confidence
which Latham more particularly, and some other ornithologists of the old school, and of
a past generation, reposed in the rude drawings of unscientific artists ; so rude, and often-
times grossly inaccurate, that it is only now that the subjects represented have come to
be, for the most part, familiarly known, that they can be recognised in the figures which
were intended to represent them,—and that the names subsequently applied to the objects
themselves can be superceded by those bestowed on the drawings, and heading the de-
scriptions taken from the latter, in conformity with the admitted law of priority. Of the
fact here stated, I could easily adduce instances almost without number.+
* Vide ‘ Report of the British Association,’ for 1844, p. 187.
+ In illustration, I send herewith two numbers of the ‘ Annals and Magazine of Na-
tural History,’ containing papers by Mr. G. Gray and Mr. Strickland, wherein the confu-
sion that has resulted from the very reprehensible practice of naming species from bad
drawings is well exhibited.
evil Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Ocr. 1845
Such being the case, I venture to hope that the Committee will perceive the justice
of retracting the very. sweeping charge against ‘‘ naturalist editors, publishers, and
artists” which has appeared in the Journal of the Society : and that it will also admit
that the grievous animadversions complained of, having reference to myself, were not
merely unnecessarily harsh, but were altogether uncalled for, as founded on a misappre-
hension of my meaning. At the least, I consider that it was due to me to have been for-
mally asked whether my opinions on the subject were correctly expressed, before such a
procedure was resorted to as that of publicly stigmatizing them in the Society’s Journal.
. Ep. Buiytn.
Asiatic Society’s Rooms, Fort William, Aug. 23, 1845.
Note to the foregoing by the Secretary.
In submitting this note the Secretary desires to remark that Mr. Blyth takes a most
mistaken view of the paragraph in question; inasmuch as, on reading it attentively, it
will be clearly seen that no proposal of perpetrating any scientific fraud is attributed to
him, but it is simply said that if the Society admitted corrections, it would perpetrate a
fraud, and the Committee will remark that it is now fully and clearly admitted by Mr.
Blyth himself, that he did propose corrections of joints, muscles and attitudes. How far
those corrections were to go, will appear from par. 1 of Mr. Blyth’s paper in which he
distinctly again avows,—asserting that “‘ the Cabool Hyena is perfectly known,” which
assumes but one variety to exist, and that we have so perfect a knowledge of the zoology
of Affghanistan, that we can be certain that there is only one variety ; and farther that,
only one variety exists in the whole valley of the Indus, which would include Scinde,
(where Sir A. Burnes’s drawings commence.) Asserting and assuming all this at once
then, Mr. Blyth proposed, he himself says, to substitute ‘‘a proper figure and fill it up
with the markings of the Cabool Hyena.”
2. Par.2 of Mr. Blyth’s letter carries the matter still further. Pronouncing on an
animal which none but travellers in the almost untrodden regions of the Hmdu Kosh
have seen, and Dr. Lord alone perhaps examined as a naturalist, we are told that by
reference to certain drawings of “closely allied species,” the horns, &c., a good figure
can be taken from it; so that here is the manufacture of two entire animals distinctly
proposed as a mere matter of course! The same style of argument is continued as to the
birds which are also proposed to be ‘‘ corrected” from stuffed specimens in the face of
drawings made from the life.
3. The Secretary presumes that these paragraphs most fully justify the caution and
strict observance of the principle upon which the Committee acted, and which the Society
approved ; of keeping to rigid and exact copying: and the Committee’s expressions (used
to explain that strictness) that ‘‘ if the Society consented to any such alterations, it would
be guilty of a scientific fraud, publishing as the drawings made on Sir A. Burnes’s mission,
pictures of something else, &c.” We have before us now two distinct proposals for
making pictures ; one of which may yet be carried into effect, if the Society approve of it-
In Mr. Gray’s paper, it will be observed that an owl (Athene convivens) came thus
to be described by Latham as a Falcon! &e. &c. See No. for March 1843, p. 189.
Vide also Mr. Strickland’s remarks in the May No., p. 334; though I could wish that
he had reflected more severely upon the above mentioned extremely objectionable prac-
tice on the part of Latham.—E. B.
Oct. 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. cix
4, Mr. Blyth now, for the first time, as the Secretary believes, informs the Society
that it was intended “to notice all the alterations in the text.” He does not perceive
that this would amount only to the very stigma which the Committee have been so care-
ful to guard the Society’s reputation from. Let it be but once announced that the Soci-
ety’s Curators alter drawings ; (except at the special desire of the authors) or its Secre-.
taries papers confided to them, ‘and who will trust such a Society with drawings or
papers? or who will refer to its researches with confidence? Mr. Blyth’s assumption
here is (the notes of Dr. Lord having disappeared) that the Society and the scientific
world are wholly to trust to his discretion and knowledge, and even, asin the case of the
hyena and sheep, to that of which he can have no knowledge. Both the Secretary and
Members of the Committee again and again explained to Mr. Blyth that the honest and
straitforward and simple system was, to publish exact copies of the drawings, which
would fulfil the Society’s public duty, and that he would then have the best opportunities
in the world of shewing his own knowledge of the subject, and of having something inter-
esting to say about, perhaps, a very uninteresting bird or animal.
5. The Secretary cannot also on this occasion refrain from adverting again to the attempt
to undervalue Dr. Lord’s labours, to the extent, nearly, of asserting that he knew nothing
of Natural History, in Mr. Blyth’s MSS. excuse for the disappearance of the notes for-
merly submitted to the Committee, and this specially, as he is now enabled, fortunately
to shew what the notes may have been, and how ill-deserved any dyslogism applied to
them must be. A friend has pointed out to him the following passage which occurs at
the close of a very able paper entitled, ‘‘ A Medical Memoir on the Plains of the Indus,”
in the Eighth Vol. of the Transactions of the Medical Society of Bengal, Appendix, No.
24, p. 81.
“Animals. Of the animals to be found in these regions, I shall at present say
nothing. They must be looked on as rather influenced by, than exercising any influence
on the Medical constitution of the country, which it is my more immediate object to illus-
trate. But I may be allowed to add that between specimens and drawings,* I have
already made some advances, as opportunities have allowed, towards asketch of the
Zoology of the plain of the Indus, which I hope at some future time to render so far com-
plete as to be not unworthy of notice.”
It will be seen from this that so far from being, as Mr. Blyth has put forward, “ nearly
ignorant of Zoology,” Dr. Lord projected at least a Zoological Memoir,
The Secretary submits that so far from any blame attaching to the Committee (whose
labours have already been approved by the meeting’) the Society are greatly indebted to it
for its steady opposition to this ‘‘ correcting”’ system.
The Secretary does not conceive it necessary to remark on that part of Mr. Blyth’s
paper which enters into the defence of naturalist editors and artists generally, as being an
accessary discussion, quite uncalled for, and which would introduce a precedent tending
to check the free expression of opinions in Committees, and moreover, because he conceives
that Mr. Blyth has himself, in the above quoted paragraphs, amply shown that, if allowed,
he would himself have rendered (and if the Secretary understands his expressions with
respect to the sheep correctly) would even now render reference to the original drawings
* “« T should acknowledge with thanks that several of these drawings which had been
made previous to my joining the Mission, were immediately on my arrival placed altoge-
ther at my disposal by Captain Burnes.”
cx Proceedings of the Asiatic Society.
indispensible ; at least whenever they had been copied without the text explaining the
corrections. *
Mr. Blyth finally complains that the animadversions were harsh and published without
reference to him. The Secretary has already stated that he wholly dissents from there
being any animadversions at all conveyed or intended. The Committee for the Burnes’s
drawings felt themselves bound to give on this occasion a full and distinct history of the
matter (see Report) to exculpate themselves from an apparent neglect of 7,000 Rupees
worth of outlay under their charge, and he believes the feeling was, that the only
possible motive which could be assigned for Mr. Blyth’s open contempt of the Society’s
orders and wishes for three years, might be perhaps pique at not being allowed to alter
the drawings; and thus that the Committee deemed it proper to enter fully on that ques-
tion.
With respect to the non-reference to Mr. Blyth ; what is alluded to in the memoran-
dum is his proposal of correcting, which his present paper shews not to have been in the
least overstated. The sequel is merely the statement of the Committee’s grounds (acting
for the Society) for rejecting that proposal, and Mr. Blyth himself gave rise to the publi-
cation of which he now complains by having been three years in default.
H. Torrens,
September 3rd, 1845. Vice-President and Secretary, Asiatic Society
E. Brytn, Ese. :
Srr,—I am desired by the Committee of Papers of the Asiatic Society to acknowledge
receipt of your letter of the 23rd August and to state in reply,—
That after an attentive consideration of it, the Committee have thought it right that it
should be published in the Proceedings, as affording to the Society, and to the public in
general, a full explanation of your views on the subject of the proposed corrections, and
the knowledge that you by no means intended making these without a full account of
them in the proposed text.
2. The Committee further desire me to state that they fully approve of the determi-
nation of the Committee for Sir Alexander Burnes’s drawings to publish nothing as such,
bearing the sanction of the Society’s name, which were not exact copies of the originals
as entrusted to it by Government.
Museum,18th Sept. 1845. Tam, Sir,
Your’s obediently,
H. Torrens,
V. P. and Secy. As. Society.
Specimens of acorns and of fir cones from Darjeeling presented by
Cockburn, Esq. were laid on the table.
The Curator of the Museum of Economic Geology and Geological]
and Minerological Departments had been unable, on account of illness,
to prepare his report or to attend the Meeting.
The best thanks of the Society were voted for all the above presenta-
tions and communications.
* Refer also to the Note submitted at the former Meeting, in which the special instance
of the hocks of the Elephant is adduced.
DRE MON AE ty RA
aw
5
f
Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, NovEMBER, 1845.
The stated monthly meeting of the Society was held on Wednesday
evening, the 5th November, G. A. Bushby, Esq. B. C. 8S. in the chair.
The following new member was ballotted for and declared duly
elected :
Lieut. D. Briggs, B. N. I.
And the following new members were proposed :
J. Christian, Junior, Esq. Monghyr,—proposed by the Sub-Secretary,
seconded by the Secretary.
W. Taylor, Esq. B. C. S.,—proposed by the Secretary, seconded by
the Sub-Secretary.
A. Wattenbach, Esq.—proposed by the Secretary, seconded by the
Sub-Secretary.
Donald Mackey, Esq.,—proposed by E. Blyth, Esq. seconded by
S. G. T. Heatly, Esq.
Ensign F. H. Riply, 22nd N. I.,—proposed by E. Blyth, Esq.
seconded by the Secretary.
L. C. Stewart, Esq. M. D. eee sateent H. M. 39th Foot,—,
proposed by E. Blyth, Esq. seconded by the Secretary.
W. Theobald, Esq. Barrister at Law,—proposed by E. Blyth, Esq.
seconded by the Secretary.
T. C. Jerdon, Esq. Madras M. S.,—proposed by H. Torrens, Esq.
seconded by E. Blyth, Esq.
The following list of books, presented and purchased, was read :—
List of Books received for the Meeting of Wednesday, the 5th November, 1845.
| Booxs PRreEsENnTED.
1. Calcutta Christian Observer for October, 1845.—By the Editors.
2. Oriental Christian Spectator, vol. 6, No. 10, for October, 1845.—By the Editor.
3. Mekhitaristes de Saint-Lazare, Histoire d’Arménie, par le Vaillant de Florival.
Vanise, 1841, 1 vol.— By J. Avdall, Esq.
_ 4, Nuovo Dizionario Italiano—Armeno—Turco. Comp. dal P. E. Ciackuak, Venezia,
1829, 1 vol.— By J. Avdall, Esq.
—=—_~
= in ———— =
exli Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Nov. 1845.
5. On the Temple of Somnath, by Col. Sykes, 1843, P.—By the Author.
6. Bhuddhism versus Brahmanism, 1842, by Col. Sykes, P.—By the same.
7. On the three-faced Busts of Siva, by Col. Sykes, P.—By the same.
8. Inscription from the Boodh Caves near Joonar, by Col. Sykes, P.—By the same.
9. On the Population and Mortality of Calcutta, by Col. Sykes, P.—By the same.
10. Statistics of the Educational Institutions of the East India Company in India, by
Col. Sykes. —By the same.
11. First report of a Committee of the Statistical Society of London, on the State of
Education in Westminster, 1837, P.—By the same. :
12. Report on the Vital Statistics of Large Towns in Scotland, London, 1843, P.—
By the same.
13. Statistics of Cadiz, by Col. Sykes, London, 1838, P.—By the same.
14. Statistics of the Metropolitan Commission in Lunacy, by Col. Sykes, P.—By the
same.
15. Statistics of the free City of Frankfort on the Main, by Col. Sykes.—By the
same.
16. On the Measurement of Heights by common Thermometers, by Col. Sykes, P.—
By the same. :
17. Report of the Metropolitan Commissioners in Lunacy to the Lord Chancellor,
London, 1844.—By the same. '
18. Debate at the East India House, by Col. Sykes.—By the same.
19. Remarks on the Identity of Personal Ornaments, sculptured on some figures in the
Bhudda Cave Temples at Carli, by Col. Sykes.— By the same. _
20. Notice respecting some Fossils collected in Cutch by W. Smee.—By W. H.
Sykes, P.—By the same.
21. Explanatory Notes respecting six new Varieties of Vine, by W. H. Sykes, P.—
By the same.
22. London, Edinburgh and Dublin Philosophical Magazine, Nos. 174, May 1845,
175, June 1845, with supplement, No. 170.—By the Editor.
23. Mémoires de la Société de Physique et d’ Histoire Naturelle de Genéve, Tome X.
2e partié, 1844.
24. List of the Geological Society of London, 1845.
25. Memoires de la Société Royale des Antiquaires du Nord, 1840 to 1843.
26 Antiquarisk Tidsskrift udgivet af det Kongelige Nordiske oldskrift selskab, 1843.
27. Die Konigliche Gesellschaft fur Nordische Alterthumskunde, 1843.
28. Société Royale Des Antiquaires du Nord le premier Janvier, 1845, 10 pamphlets.
29. A Danish Newspaper.
30. United States’s exploring expedition during the years 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, and
1842, by Charles Wilkes, 5 volumes, with atlas.—By C. Hufthagle, Esq.
EXCHANGED.
31. Calcutta Journal of Natural History, No. 23, for October, 1845.
32. Atheneum, for 9th, 16th, 23rd and 31st August, 1845.
33. Asiatic Journal, May, 1845.
34, Journal Asiatique, quatriéme Série, Tome V. No. 22, Fevrier, March, 1845.
Purcuasep.
35. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, No. 103, for August, 1845.
= See
Nov. 1845. | Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. Cxill
36. North British Review, No. 6, for August, 1845.
37. Journal des Savants, for April and June, 1845.
38. General Synopsis of Birds, by J. Latham, London, 1781 to 1790, 10 volumes,
39. Correspondence relating to Persia and Affghanistan, 1841.
40. Correspondence relating to Persia, 1841.
41. Histoire Naturelle des Poissons de "Eau Douce, par L. Agassiz, Tom., I. Neucha-
tel, 1842.
42. Ditto ditto plates, 2e Livraison.
43. Researches into the Physical History of Mankind, by J. C. Prichard, vol. 4th.
The proceedings for the month of October were read and confirmed.
Read the following letter from the University of Christiania.
To the Vice-President and Secretary of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Calcutta.
Srr,—Having been charged by the University Council to acknowledge the reception
of your favor dated 8th October, 1844, in which you inform our University of the valu-
able and interesting objects which the Asiatic Society at Calcutta have been kind
enough to send, I avail myself of the opportunity of sending your learned institution a
parcel, containing different sorts of seeds, which I hope may be of interest to your botani-
cal garden. The Council have also ordered me previously to inform you, that a col-
lection of several scientific objects for the Asiatic Society very soon will be sent off from
here, and that a letter from the Council, which is to accompany the same, will contain a
list thereof, ;
The Council will feel itself very much obliged to you, Sir, if you would be so
kind as to buy for the account of our University Library, some books and manuscripts,
the list of which follows enclosed.
C. W. Hotsr.
Christiania, 16th June, 1845.
The Secretary stated that he had thought it advisable to despatch
the packet of seeds at once to Dr. Wallich, from whom he had a let-
ter expressing his best thanks to the Society, and stating that several
of the seeds had already germinated.
Read also the following letter accompanying a packet of diplomata :—
Srr,—On the part of the Royal Norwegian Society of Science at Drontheim; I have
the honor of forwarding four diplomata for Messrs. Blyth, Griffith, Bird and Torrens,
directors of the learned Asiatic Institution at Calcutta,—as members of the mentioned
Society. The attention these gentlemen have shown our university, and the kindness
with which they, as directors of the most learned East Indian Institution, have entered
into our views of forming a more intimate scientific connexion, have induced the council
of the Royal Norwegian Society to offer those diplomata as a token of its most sincere
respect and obligation. In wishing that the amicable connexion which already consists
between our Scientific Institutions may always grow stronger and more interesting on
both sides.
I have the honor to be, Sir,,
Most sincerely your obedient and obliged servant,
Cur. Horst,
Christiania, the 6th June, 1845.
exiv Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Nov. 1845.
The Secretary was requested to transmit those for Mr. Bird and
‘Dr. Griffiths, the latter to his widow ; and on the suggestion of the Sub-
Secretary it was moved and agreed to unanimously, that the Society
should take this opportunity of addressing a letter of condolence to
Mrs. Griffiths: The following has been accordingly sent with the
diploma :—
Mrs. W. Grirritus.
Mapam,—In transmitting to you the accompanying diploma I am directed by the
Asiatic Society of Bengal to express its deep and heart-felt condolence with you for the
irreparable loss which you have sustained.
The Asiatic Society had not been inattentive to the great scientific ability, untiring
zeal, and thorough disinterestedness of the late Doctor Griffiths ; and it looked forward
to the day when, had it been so permitted, he might have been associated, and that ina
position worthy of him, to the labours of its members ; in aid of which he had already con-
tributed so valuably and ably.
This hope no longer exists: but the Asiatic Society have deemed it right to express
how deeply it mourns, in common with the scientific public of India and Europe, the loss
of one from whose labours so much had already resulted and so much more was hoped
for.
(Signed) H. Torrens,
Museum, the 7th Nov. 1845, V. P.and Secretary Asiatic Society of Bengal.
Captain Marshall’s notice of motion at the last Meeting which was
as follows :—
Resolved, that it is the opinion of the meeting, that a meeting of the Society should
invariably be held once a month for the purpose, if of nothing else, of affording the
members an opportunity of meeting together: and that the day of meeting should if pos-
sible be the first Wednesday of the month, as they consider it a matter of convenience
and importance to have some fixed day of meeting, and at the same time to adhere to
the original rules of the Society.
and had been circulated to town members with the following note :—
Crrcuar.
To
Srr,—The accompanying notice of a motion by Captain Marshall for the ensuing meet-
ing of the Asiatic Society, is circulated for your information, with a request that you
will benefit the Society by attending to assist at its discussion.
H. Torrens,
Asiatic Society’s Rooms, the 22nd Oct. 1845. Vice-President and Secretary.
was now brought forward and read by the Secretary.
In the absence of Captain Marshall the resolution as above was pro-
posed by the Chairman, seconded by the Secretary, and carried.
Nov. 1845. ] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. CXv
Read an application from the Zoological Curator, respecting certain
books which he desired to have purchased.
The purchase was sanctioned, under a reservation as to some of the
books not priced, which was to be left to the Secretary.
Read the following application from T. C. Jerdon, Esq. of the Madras
Medical Service :-—
To H. Torrens, Esa. &c. &e. &e.
Srr,—May I request that you will lay before the Asiatic Society of Calcutta my re-
quest to be permitted the loan of new, rare, or interesting birds and other specimens from
their museum, for the purpose of being figured in a continuation of my present publica-
tion “‘ Illustrations of Indian Ornithology,” which I intend commencing immediately,
and which is to be entirely got up by Messrs. Reeve and Co. Natural History Lithogra-
phers, London, Mr. Walter Elliot, M.C. S. and myself have also in a state of forward-
ness a work to be entitled ‘ Illustrations of Indian Zoology’ to be more especially
devoted to mammalia, reptiles and fish, and the occasional loan of a specimen in any of
these departments would be highly valued.
I need not say that the source of such drawings would be always gratefully
acknowledged, and I am confident that both of the works now in contemplation will be
considered more valuable from the aid of your museum, which I hope you will use your
own influence to obtain.
May I further request that you will be good enough to propose me as a member of the
Asiatic Society of Bengal.
Madras, 30th September, 1845. T. C. Jerpon.
Resolved that the Secretary be authorised under, proper restrictions
to comply with this request.
The Sub-Secretary presented a translation, with a lithograph pre-
pared for the Journal, of an extract from the “ Hstado de las Yslas
Filipinas por Don Sinibaldo de Mas, Madrid, 1843,” relative to the
alphabets of the Phillippine Islanders.
The Sub-Secretary also exhibited to the meeting a MS. plane chart
of the courses and distances made by the brig Charles Heddle, while
scudding in the hurricane of the 22nd and 27th February, 1845, to the
north-east of Mauritius, and developing a series of spirals by the con-
joined action of the hurricane and its storm wave. He announced that
the memoir to this curious chart was in forwardness for publication.
Report or tHe Curator Museum or Economic Grotocy anp GEOLOGICAL AND
MINERALOGICAL DEPARTMENT.
GrouocicaL and MINERALOGICAL.
Our active member and contributor Lieut. Sherwill, B. N. I. has forwarded to us seven
boxes containing a fine series of specimens illustrative of the Geology of Behar, of which
CXVi Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Nov. 1845.
his map and note will, as he advises, follow as soon as completed, a portion of the hilly
country to the west of Rhotasghur still remaining unsurveyed, Lieut. Sherwill has also
sent us specimens of the curious sandstones, of which his descriptions and figures will
appear in the 168rd No. of the Journal.
Mr. Rechendorf, a German gentleman educated as a Mining Engineer, has obliged us
with a paper on the Geology of upper India, which he has had some extensive, though
brief opportunities of examining, having travelled up from Bombay to Ferozepore, and
then by the hills before visiting Calcutta : this paper is now in the hands of Dr. Roer,
who has kindly undertaken its translation.
Capt. Abbott, B. A. has also obliged us with a paper on certain specimens of splintered
agates found in clay strata bordering on the Nurbudda, the origin of which is probably
to be sought for in the fissures of: the rocks, occasioned by movements of upheaval or
subsidence ; unless indeed we admit of any glacier agency so near the equator, or that
the agates might possibly be fractured by the agency of torrents and the grinding of
boulders in them, or at cascades, and subsequently carried by inundations with other
debris to form part of the till deposited on the banks of the river.
By Mr. Rechendorf, I have forwarded to professor Ehrenberg at Berlin, twenty-four
bottles of our river water, being twelve bottles taken (one in each month of the year) in
the middle of the river at Calcutta, and at Burisal,so as to enable him to compare the
infusorie- of the sediments of the great tropical rivers with those of European ones. —-
Major General Cullen, resident at Cochin, forwards us from Cochin a small box by
dawk, and since two chests by sea, of a limestone deposit from the Breakwater at Cochin.
Ihave not yet had time to examine the specimens. The General’s letter is as follows :—
H. Pipprinerton, Esa.
My pear Sr1r,—I do not know if,in my last note to you, I made any mention of a dis-
covery I had recently made in this: vicinity of a calcareous deposit, I believe the first —
instance of the kind that has yet been noticed on any part of the coast of Malabar though
frequently searched for. Indeed, the absence of all calcareous deposit below or along
the top of the ghat has become almost proverbial.
I have met with traces of a calcareous infiltration—in the seams of a kind of greenstone
rock near Trevandrum, but thatis the only other instance I have heard of,—towards Cape
Comorinkunker appears, and you know perhaps that that deposite abounds on the east side
of the ghat at Tinevelly. Captain Newbold I believe found nummulite nodules somewhere
between Mangalore and Sedashigheer, but not I believe, in situ, probably Pattimar ballast.
My notice was first drawn to the present deposit by the excavations made for canal work.
Some small flat pieces of stone were brought to me, some of them of rather singular form.
I immediately perceived they were calcareous. I ordered the search to be continued, and
a little deeper they came to large thick slabs of a coarse, dark, greenish limestone, at first
supposed to be a disintegrating greenstone or hornblende slate. It, I however immediate-
ly ascertained to be limestone also. Instead of blue stiff mud or clay, the more general
stratum, the soil here was a dark greenish sand, in fact the detritus of the slabs, a calca-
reous sand, a most singular and interesting appearance. I fancied that the slabs had the
usual direction, N. W.and S. E. and I ordered corresponding search.* I recollected
* At first the existence of limestone here appeared to me so very problematical, that I
could hardly believe it. in situ, I suspected that the slabs must have been remains of some
Nov. 1845. | Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. | cxvil
some mud (indurated) deposit on a sandy shallow off the coast, eight or ten miles north
of Cochin. I set people there also and I have been most successful—I have found no more
of the slabs, because if any they have not gone deep enough, i.e. to five or six feet, but
I have found them to abound in the upper stratum of loose detached pieces and nodules,
at a depth of one and half or two feet in the mud or clay on the shores of the Breakwater.
All these have the strongest resemblance in form to fossil bones.
I have packed up in a box asmall collection of all the varieties I have yet found, and
dispatched it lately to Madras to go by an early steamer to Calcutta. The enclosed sketch
of the appearance of these bone-like fossils? is by a medical friend who examined them
when passing Trevandrum. I have more recently collected a great number more—and
will forward them to you if desired.
I will also now forward to you by post a few small specimens, with alittle sketch of the
tract where they are found, together with a rough drawing or etching of some of the slabs
and more remarkable nodules.
The more compact limestones, as I have already noticed, are found onthe shores of the
Breakwater. On the sea beach are found abraded corals, and small flat pieces of
stone, some very much like the laminz of the large massive slabs of the canal, others a
conglomerate of minute shells, gravel, sand, and the small grains or particles of the
coarse limestone. Indeed the particles of the coarse limestone seem to form the cement.
The sea beach varieties are found at upwards of forty miles north of Cochin, but they
do not appear to extend above three or four miles in a southerly direction, all of which
seems to strengthen the supposition that the deposit is limited, forming a bed or stratum
conformable to the general direction of the primary rocks of this coast.
One of the first objects of my seeking or discovering this limestone was to try its proper-
ties as a cement, and it seems to possess all the essential of the most perfect water cement.
Properly prepared and formed into a small ball without sand or any thing but water, if
thrown into water it hardens in a few minutes, in the air it hardens almost instantaneously
It answers perfectly to Col. Pasley’s description of the best water cement. We have no.
experience here however, and I shall therefore send some for experiment to Madras, to
Capt. Smith of the Madras Engineers.
This is ahasty and imperfect account, I will endeavour to send you a more correct
one hereafter.
W. CuLien.
Cochin, July, 1845.
Sketch.
1. like the Scapula or shoulder blade.
1. like the Femur or thigh bone.
1. hke Os Innominata, or one side of the Pelvis.
2. short ends like the Tibia and Fibula of hind legs.
2. ditto like the knee bones of the fore legs.
1. short piece like the great Trochanter or end of the thigh bone forming the hip joint.
1. large piece (hollow) apparently petrified wood.
building, a discovery perhaps equally interesting, but I have never heard of thatstone used
in building in Malabar. I was delighted therefore on finding traces of it in the prolonga-
tion of the line.
CXVill Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Nov. 1845.
H. Pipprncron, Ese. Calcutta.
My pear Sir,—I fear you will think me troubling you more about these Cochin hme-
stone deposit than they deserve. I am now sending you by the Brig Fortitude two more
boxes of specimens. I shall now have furnished you with sufficient samples, and will not
trouble you again.
I have sent you some very small specimens by post, and a small box will reach you via
Madras probably by the next steamer.
I shall feel greatly obliged by any remarks on them-you may be so good as to favor
me with.
W. Cutien.
Cochin, 7th August, 1845.
We have several notices of earthquakes, and I had indeed proposed, but was prevented
by illness, to collect all those which appeared in the newspapers for publication.
The following are however of so much interest that they should not be passed over.
Extract from a letter from Lieut. Blagrave, dated Kurrachee, 16¢h October.
““ Native letters have been received from Sinkpul, the frontier town of Kutch Boo}; sta-
ting, that two shocks of an Earthquake were felt there on the 19th of June, and that on
the 25th fifteen distinct shocks were felt ; no mention is made of any loss having been
sustained. Rain had not fallen up to the 27 ultimo; this is an extract from the Kurrachee
Gazette. I have since heard that an immense body of water has been forced for many
miles in all directions over the Runn, and that the old tower of Sindree Fort has been
nearly destroyed byit. I shall try and get leave to visit it, and will if I go send you any
thing that I may find there.”
The next notice is from our active member Capt. Hannay, Upper Assam.
H. Pippincron, Esa.
My pear Sir,—You will no doubt have several notices of the late earthquake in the
Assam valley, and I have now the pleasure to send you my notes on it,
“ Debrooghur, 26th July, at 8 minutes past 2 p. m. rather a severe shock of an earth-
quake the motion a trembling, with distinct jerks towards the end of the shock, which
lasted about a minute.
“‘ This shock was accompanied by a loud rumbling noise which was heard, and the
advance of the rocking motion almost perceptible at one end of the Bungalow before it
was felt throughout the house, so that the approach of the shock was (apparently) gra-
dual, and it was neither violent nor sudden. The direction appeared to be from west
to east but more likely S. W. to N. E. the direction of the valley.”
For some days previous there had been heavy rain—on the evening of the 25th about
8 pe. m.a brilliant meteor passed from south to north on the Heavens, and burst behind
acloud. The sky that evening had a singular appearance ; although cloudy, the moon
seemed to stand out beyond them—unusually hot weather succeeded this earthquake
when heavy rain fell »bout the beginning of August, after which succeeded some days of
hot and oppressive weather. On the evening of the 4th instant we had heavy clouds and
lightning in the $.W. which cleared off. On the evening of the 5th there was the same
appearance, the clouds being heavier with lighting all round the horizon ; and early on the
morning of the 6th we had a heavy'storm of wind from south and S. W., the sky during
this day was cloudy and the air comparatively cool. Between 11 and 12 p. m. we had a
slight shock of an earthquake, and towards the morning of the 7th aheavy S. Wester with
Nov. 1845. ] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. Cxix
rain ; about 4 rp. m.on the 9th another heavy storm of thunder and lightning and rain,
and with an interval of two days of oppressive heat, another fearful storm of thunder and
lightning at 2 p. m. on the morning of the 12th inst.
The season in Upper Assam has been excessively hot. Heavy storms of thunder and
lightning with heavy rain, succeeded by the hotest sun that has been felt for many years ;
sickness however is not more prevalent than usual amongst the natives of the country.
N. B. The Earthquake of the 26th was felt on the Burmapootur, at Gowhatee, Sibsa-
gor and Jeypoor within a few minutes apparently of 2r.m. At Gowhatee it was an
unusually severe shock, that of the 5th or 6th appears to have been also felt there.
H. Hannay.
Jeypoor, the 22d August, 1845.
Lieut. Blagrave has also sent us a drawing, and promises specimens, of some fossils
from Kurrachee.
To Major Wroughton, Acting Surveyor General, we are indebted for a highly curious
fossil, both in itself and as to its locality ; being he thinks a Madrepore, but I am dispos-
ed to think it possibly (though no articulations are visible) part of an encrinite of large
size? which is from between the Neetee pass and Gortope, at 15,000 feet above the sea!
and it is moreover evidently part of a boulder; I think this is the first record of any
‘fossil of either of the families alluded to above (Zoophyta or Echindermata) being found
in the Himalaya?
Musrvum or Economic Grouocy.
_ Mr. Rechendorf, to whose obliging contribution in general Geology I have alluded
above, has also favoured us here with a paper (printed in number 163) of singular
interest on the Copper mines of Pokree and Dhanpoor, in Kemaon, which is of much
importance, as fully corroborating the views which have been held by other practical men,
and especially by Mr. Wilkin, who indeed complained to me that the means of expenditure
placed at his disposal were so small that it was impossible to make any fair experiment.
To Welby Jackson, Esq. B. C. 8S. we are indebted for a highly interesting paper on
the iron ores of Bheerboom, with a good set of specimens illustrative of it.
From Kyook Phyoo our attentive friend, Major Williams, sends us from Capt. Clarke
a specimen of an argillaceous shale, perhaps from the Mud Volcanoes, which is discolour-
ed on one side, apparently by the action of heat ; and also a small ingot-shaped piece of
metal, which on examination proved to be pure zinc with a minute trace of iron. The
native who brought it to Captain Clarke says “‘ there is plenty of it,” but as zinc has
Never yet been found in the metallic state we must suspend our judgment of the mat-
ter till we have further notice of the locality, which I have written for.
Captain Jenkins forwards us from Assam a paper with specimens by Captain Hannay,
to whom I had when here given a specimen of the true Asphalte, requesting his attention
to the various deposits known to exist in upper Assam, with the hope of finding there a
true Asphalte or some substitute for it.
Captain Hannay’s paper and specimens are of the very highest interest, and as soon as
I have examined the latter I shall further report on it.
Mr. Martin, Executive Officer in Assam, has sent us a farther supply of 20 specimens
of woods from that country, of which the list is as follows :—
he
CxS Proceedings of the Asiatic Society.
List of Woods, &c. being a Continuation from Assam.
XX V.—Bhoza. XXX VI.—Kahtoleah Bolah.
XX VI.—Azar. XXX VII.—Boon Bogree.
XXVII.—Ooiceam. XXX VIII.— White Holong.
XXVIII.—Kutal. XX XIX.—Cedar.
XXIX.—Poma. XL.—Oohriam.
XX X.—Gomaree. XLI.—Bon Choong.
XX XIJ.—Pasulee. XLII.—Dhop.
XX XII.—Sileka. XLIII.—Red Holong.
XX XIITI.—Owhee. XLIV.—Long Cheng.
XXXIV.—Poddo Cedar. XLV.—Sonaloo.
XXX V.—Bhoj.
He has also sent in the box some pretty specimens of Magnetic Iron sand in layers,
interleaved in fact, with sandstone, from the Luckee Dowar lower range of the Garrow
Hills.
Mr. Watkin, who superintends the Raneegunge Coal mines, having visited the Museum
about a year ago, and being kind enough to offer his services, I gave him some tin boxes
arranged for receiving specimens of the vegetable impressions of their coal shales. The
boxes, which it appears have remained in Calcutta for some six months, have now reach-
ed us with a good assortment of the impressed shales which are of great interest.
Our Secretary has sent us a lump of clay impregnated with quicksilver, found on dig-
ing away some ruins near the old Mint, no doubt the produce of some broken package
in the olden time.
From Mr. Higgins, an officer of the steamer Fire Queen, we have received by Mr.
Blyth, a lump of black concretion which was taken from one of the flues of the steamer
boilers at a spot where it was leaky. It proves tobe nothing but a mixture of salt from
the evaporation of the water oozing through the leak, and the carbonaceous matter of the
smoke, but it is so far curious that it shows, like the sparks at the top of the funnel, the
very imperfect combustion of the fuel, which is here in coarse grains, and, it may be,
would account for some cases of explosion.
H. PrppincrTon.
For all the foregoing communications and preseutangs the best
thanks of the Society were accorded.
Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, DecEmBER, 1845.
The stated monthly meeting of the Society was held on Wednesday
evening, the 3rd of December, T. W. Laidley, Esq., senior member
present, in the chair.
The following members proposed at the last meeting were ballotted
for and declared duly elected.
J. Christian, Junior, Esq., Monghyr.
W. Taylor, Esq. B.C. S.
Augustus Wattenbach, Esq.
Donald Mackey, Esq.
Ensign F. W. Ripley, 22nd N. I.
L. C. Stewart, Esq. M. D. Assistant-Surgeon, H. M. 39th Foot.
W. Theobald, Esq. Barrister at Law.
T. C. Jerdon, Esq. M. D. Madras.
And the following new member was proposed :
Walter Elliott, Esq. Madras C. S.,—proposed by the Secretary,
seconded by the President.
The proceedings of the meeting of November were read and confirmed.
Read the following list of books, presented, exchanged, and purcha-
sed :—
List of Books received for the Meeting of Wednesday, the 3rd December, 1845.
PRESENTED.
1. Tijdschrift voor Neérlands Indie. Zesde Jaargang, Batavia, 1844, 12 Nos. Ze-
vend Jaargang, 1845, 8 Nos.—By the Batavian Society.
2. Natuur-en Geneeskundig Archief voor Neerlandsch Indié Eerste Jaargang, Bata-
via, 1844, 4 Nos. Tweede Jaargang, 2 Nos.—By the Society.
3. Verhandelingen van het Bataviaasch Genootschap, Volumes Ist, 5th, 7th, 8th,
11th, 12th, 15th, 16th and 17th, Nos. 2 to 7, Vol. 20th.—By the Society.
4, Korte Beschrijving van het Zuid-Oostelijk Schiereiland van Celebes, door J. N.
Vosmaer.—By the Society.
5. Nederduitsch en Maleisch, en Maleisch en Nederduitsch Woordenboek, door P. P.
Roordavan Eysinga, Batavia, 1824-1825, 2 Vols.—By the Society.
6. Catalogus Plantarum in Horto Botanico Bogoriensi Cultarum Alter. Auct. J. C.
Hasskarl. Bataviae, 1844.—By the Society.
| :
CxXil Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Dec. 1845.
7. Islandick Almanac, two copies, by B. Kamphovener, Esq.
8. Danish Almanac, two copies, by B. Kamphovener, Esq.
8. Danish Spelling book, two copies, by B. Kamphovener, Esq.
10. Della Famiglia Filologica delle Metonimie Arabe, by J. V. Hammer Purgstall,
Milano, 1844.
ADDITIONS.
ll.
12. Turjama Tul Lazim, Arabic. Presented by H. Torrens, Esq.
13. Lai Hotul Fala Letalimuzoarat, Arabic.—By the same.
14. Ussul-Handaza, Arabic.—By the same.
15. Al-Jyharul-Badia, Arabic.—By the same. |
16. Adad Ansab, Arabic.—By the same. |
17. Taribatus Saphia, Arabic.—By the same.
18. Meteorological Register for September and October, 1845, from the Surveyor
General’s Office.
19. Calcutta Christian Observer, November, 1845.—By the Editors.
20. Oriental Christian Spectator, No. 11, November, 1845.—By the Editor.
21. London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine, third series, No. 177,
July, 1845.—By the Editor.
22. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, No. 16, part I. 1845.—By the Society.
23. Journal Asiatique, 4me. Série, Tome 5, No. 23, 1845.
24. Report of the 14th Meeting of the British Association for 1844. London, 1845,
1 Vol.—By the Association.
25. Bullétin de la Société de Géographie, Tome 2nd, 1844.—By the Society. .
26. Annales des Sciences Physiques et Naturelles de Lyon, Tome 7, 1844.—By the
Royal Agricultural Society of Lyon.
EXCHANGED.
27. Journal of the Agricultural Society of India, Vol. 4, part 3.
28. Atheneum, Nos. 932 to 935, for 1845.
PurcHasED.
29. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, No. 104,—September, 1845.
30. Journal des Savants, Avril, 1845.
The Secretary stated that in reference to the enquiries directed to
be made as to the sales of the Society’s publications likely to be effected
at Agra by the Rev. Mr. Moore, the Sub-Secretary had received from
that gentleman a note shewing that the total sales effected by the
School-Book Society of Agra, in 1844, were :
Sanserit. boas: 2) \ apes ee. ab: Co.'s Rs,..1,124 12 30
ATHOICS aie eee Me oon eee, 38m12 0
Perstai oe oe he ce ha se el gies Say... 197 eee
Dec. 1845.| Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. CXXiii
An amount which will no doubt be extended with a larger stock
from which to choose.*
The Secretary laid before the Society the model of an iron rail,
which he suggested might be advantageously put up im lieu of the
brick wall which now separates the premises of the Society from Park
Street. This alteration would he observed greatly improve not only
the appearance of the Museum, but also that of one of the principal
thoroughfares of the European quarter of the city. He laid before the
Society an estimate at an extremely low rate, and proposed that the
cost should be met by subscription.
The putting up of the iron rail was approved by the meeting, and the
mode of having the work performed referred to the Secretary for further
arrangements.
The Secretary, in fulfilment of his promise to report, with reference
to the purchase of certain standard books, upon the funds of the Socie-
ty, now stated that the amount to credit was Rs. 12,800 in Govern-
ment securities; but that in addition the Society had a claim on the
estate of the late Csoma de Korosi for Rs. 5,000 left to it by him. This
bequest had been challenged by persons, Austrian subjects, representing
themselves as his relatives, and the monies had been paid over to the
Registrar of the Supreme Court ; as however three years had elapsed
without any rejoinder to the reply of the Society to that challenge, he
suggested that the money should be claimed provisionally on its behalf,
security being given for the amount ; this would leave the Society with
Rs. 5,000 for a commencement of the purchase of the books alluded
to, in addition to the charges entailed by certain forthcoming Nos. of the
Transactions, Dr. Heeberlin’s Sanscrit Anthology, and other charges.
The proposal to apply for the legacy, giving security for the amount,
was agreed to. ,
The following resolution was hereupon moved by the President,
seconded by J. Ward, Esq., and carried unanimously.
The funds of the Society being reported at 12,000 Rupees, and the claim on the estate
of the late Csoma de Korosi being for 5000 now in the Registrar’s hands, it is proposed to
demand payment, on security, of the said 5000 Rupees, for purposes immediately connec-
ted with the pursuits of the Society, instead of (at this moment) breaking in on our
funded money.
* Lists of the Asiatic Society’s Works in Hindi, Nagree, and Bengalee, are in prepa-
ration by order of the Secretary, and will be widely circulated.— Eps.
ae
ee ee
CXXIV Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Drc. 1845.
The Secretary reported that the staircase having been attacked by white ants, he had
deemed it necessary to have the casing stripped off, and asa part of it was sinking he
had farther, under the advice of Colonel Forbes and Mr. Mornay, had it properly raised ;
but as the placing of an Iron pillar for support at each angle would have been expensive
he had at the suggestion of the Sub-secretary and with Colonel Forbes’ approval, taken
two of the sandstone Hindoo Pillars from the portico, to use as props, for which they
answered perfectly and were not the less favourably exhibited as antiquities.
Read the following letters from the Secretary to the Government of
India :
No. 2821 of 1845.
From G. A. Bususy, Ese., Offg. Secretary to the Government of India.
To H. Torrens, Ese., Vice President and Secretary Asiatic Society, of Fort William,
the 15th November, 1845.
Foreign DEPATMENT.
Srr,—I am directed to request that you will convey tothe Asiatic Society the thanks
of His Honor the President in Council for the 100 copies of Lieutenant Postans’ transla-
tion of the Toofut ul Kiram, a history of Scinde, which accompanied your letter of the
7th Instant to my address.
G. A. Bususy,
Offg. Secretary to the Government of India.
Fort William, the 15th Nov. 1845.
Read the following letter from the Secretary to the Araratian Society :
H. Torrens, Esa., Secretary, Asiatic Society.
S1r,—I am directed by the Committee of the Araratian Society to own receipt of your
letter of the 20th ultimo, and to request your acceptance of their united acknowledg-
ments for the valuable gift accompanying your said letter, as likewise for your having
kindly inscribed our Society for the future copies of your Journals.
P. J. Sarkies,
Secretary, Society of Ararat,
Calcutta, 11th Nov. 1846.
The Secretary intimated that he had received two private letters
from Lieutenant Fletcher Hayes informing him that he was busy in
carrying into effect his intention of publishing a grammar and vocabu-
lary of the Beloochee language, &c. &c.
Read the following letter.
To the Secretary of the Asiatic Society, Calcutta.
My pear Srr,—Permit me to solicit your kind assistance. I believe as far back as 1834
a paper was published by Mr. G. A. Prinsep regarding the introduction of steam navi-
gation into India.
ee ee ee Pe a
sys ,
ee ee ee ee ee ee re | ee)
ea Oe
Dec. 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. CXXV
This publication contained valuable and interesting matter relating to the peculiarities
of the Ganges, combined with that of Rennell and Colebrooke.
I am given to understand the information is to be found in the Journal of the Asiatic
Society published in Calcutta.
1f I may beg the favour of your procuring, if in your possession, a copy of the same
I should feel infinitely indebted—or where it may be obtained.
I remain,
Your obedient servant,
W. Fenner,
Comdg. E. I. C. Steamer Conqueror, Indus Flotilla.
E. I. C. Steam Vessel Conqueror,
Sukkur, November 4th, 1845.
The Secretary stated that neither himself nor the Sub-Secretary had
been able to procure the work alluded to.*
Read the following papers :—
Extract of a letter from Lieut. Blagrave, B. I., to the Sub-Secretary, dated Kurrachee,
16th October, 1845.
** Accept my best thanks for the papers on Scinde, and for the trouble you took in
getting the works on Conchology for me. Weare getting up an Association here to
collect information, &c. &c. about the country ; I enclose an account of the first meeting.
By and bye I hope we may be able to publish papers, but at present we are only to make
collections of books, coins, fossils, &e. Can you tell me whether the whole of the Jour-
nal of the Asiatic Society is procurable in Calcutta ? we want to get it, and as many other
works containing notices relative to Scinde as possible.”
ScinpDE ASSOCIATION.
At a meeting held in the house of Captain Preedy, on the 9th October, the following
gentlemen were present :—
His Excellency Sir Charles Napier, in the chair.
Colonel Douglas. Captain Preedy.
Captain J. Napier. Captain W. Napier.
Captain Browne, Captain Byng.
Doctor Gibbon. Lieutenant Masters.
Lieutenant Blagrave. Lieutenant Mayor.
John Macleod, Esq. Ensign Burton.
and a series of resolutions forming the bodies of the future Rules of the Association were
passed,
Ist. That an Association be formed at Kurrachee, for the purpose of collecting infor-
mation concerning the Natural History, Antiquities, Statistics, Dialects, &c., of Sindh,
and the adjacent countries ; and that it be denominated the Sindh Association.
2nd. That the Sindh Association shall consist of Members, and that any individual of
whatever rank or service desirous of joining the Association, shall intimate the same to
the Secretary,
3rd. That His Excellency Sir Charles Napier be requested to become the Patron of
the Association. ;
* A copy has been since obtained.
CXXV1 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Dec. 1845.
4th. That Colonel Douglas be requested to become the President of the Association.
Sth. ‘That the five following gentlemen be requested to form the Committee at Kur-
rachee,
Captain Preedy. Captain J. Napier.
Captain Browne. Lieutenant Blagrave.
John Macleod, Esquire.
Ensign Burton, Acting Secretary and Treasurer.
6th. That for the general purposes of the Sindh Association,—viz. purchasing books
and coins, sending out proper persons to collect specimens of Natural History, &c., &c.,
a monthly subscription of five Rupees, to be reduced next meeting to two Rupees or one,
be paid by each Member, in addition to a donation of twenty Rupees on entrance.
7th. Captain Preedy having kindly offered to place at the disposal of the Association
one of the rooms ia the new School-room built by him in the neighbourhood of the Town,
it is proposed that his offer be accepted as a temporary measure, but that means be taken
for raising Funds to erect a building to be devoted solely to the purposes of the Associ-
ation.
8th. That with respect to the Library, the books to be purchased shall consist of
works relating to Sindh, and the adjacent countries, especially to History and Antiquities,
also that Scientific works and books of reference be provided for the use of the Mem-
bers.
Oth. That every member be requested to favour the Secretary with any information
-upon the proposed objects of the Society. Any donations of books, specimens, &c., &e.,
will be most thankfully received.
10th. That the expense of transmitting all communications be defrayed, if desired, by
the Society.
llth. That the Secretary register all papers, and donations, together with the names of
the donors, and enter in a book to be kept by him, all miscellaneous and detached me-
moranda with which he may be favored.
12th. That Quarterly General Meetings be held, and that intermediate meetings also
may be called for by the committee, or at the requisition of any five Members.
13th. That the committee now elected be requested to frame, and submit a series of re-
culations to the next meeting of the Association.
A General Meeting of the Sindh Association will take place on the 8th of November,
1845. '
e R. Burton,
Acting Secretary and Treasurer.
At a previous Meeting held at the house of Captain Preedy, on the 9th October, 1845,
a series of resolutions, forming the basis of the future rules of the Sindh Association
were passed. In conformity with Par. 13.—‘‘ That the Committee now elected be re-
quested to frame and submit a body of By-laws to the next meeting.” At a general meet-
ing of the Association held at the house of Captain Preedy on Saturday the 8th Novem-
ber, 1845. The following By-laws were proposed and passed.
Present.
Colonel Douglas, Captain Young. Lieut. Blagrave.
Captain Napier. Captain Hughes. Lieut. Maclagan.
Captain Preedy. Dr. Gibbon. Lieut. Vanrenen.
Dec. 1845. |] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. CXXVil
lst. This Association, as established mainly for the purpose of collecting a Library of
reference, and recording information relative to Sindh,—its Natural History, Antiquities,
Statistics, Dialects, &c , shall be denominated the Sindh Association.
2nd. The Association shall consist of Members and Subscribers.
3rd. Any individual, of whatever rank or service, desirous of becoming a member of
the Sindh Association, shall intimate the same by letter to the Secretary ; upon which he
shall be proposed at the next monthly meeting of the Committee of Management, and
after securing a majority of votes in his favour, shall be duly elected. -
4th. All members, resident, or non-resident, shall upon election either pay a Life
Composition of Co.’s Rs. 80, or an Entrance Donation of Co.’s Rs. 25, together with a
monthly subscription of Co.’s Rs. 2.
5th. Subscribers shall enjoy the same privileges as members, except the rights of
voting at General Meetings, being elected members of the Committee of Management,
or holding any office whatever in the Association.
6th. Any individual, of whatever rank or service, desirous of subscribing to the Asso-
ciation, shall intimate the same by letter to the Secretary, forwarding the sum of Co.’s
Rs. 6—his subscription for the current quarter.
7th. Life Compositions and Entrance Donations shall be paid upon joining the Associ-
ation, monthly subscriptions shall be paid 3 months in advance by all members and sub-
scribers, resident or non-resident, upon the first days of January, April, July and
October.
8th. General Meetings of the Members and Subscribers shall take place Quarterly,
upon the second Mondays of January, April, July and October, at which times the Se-
cretary’s and Treasurer’s accounts shall be audited, lists of purchases presented by the
Committee of Management inspected, the committee and office-bearers elected or renew-
ed, and alterations and emendations of the present By-laws of the Association put to the
vote.
9th. The office-bearers of the Association shall consist of a President, a Vice-Presi-
dent, a Secretary and a Treasurer.
10th. The President shall preside at the Quarterly General Meetings, conduct the
proceedings, and give effect to the resolutions.
llth. The Vice-President of the Association shall preside at and record the proceed-
ings of the monthly meetings of the Committee of Management, conduct the correspond-
ence of the Association, suggest plans for attaining its objects, and in general aid the
Secretary in promoting the purposes of the A&sociation.
12th. The Secretary who shall be, ex-officio, member of the Committee of Manage-
ment, shall superintend all persons employed by the committee to collect such books,
coins, and specimens of Natural History as may be required by the Association, and
shall lay a detailed list of the same before the Quarterly General Meetings.
He shall register in a book to be kept by him for that purpose, all papers and dona-
tions with which he may be favored, superintend the correspondence, and prepare such
notes and memoranda as he may judge fit to be submitted to the quarterly general meet-
ings, previous to publication. He shall also assist the Treasurer in preparing quarterly
reports of the progress of the Association.
13th. The Treasurer shall superintend every thing connected with the receipts and ex-
penditure of the Association, directed by the committee of management, and submit to
CXXVIil Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Dec. 1845.
every quarterly general meeting a report and summary of all subscriptions and donations
received by him through the Secretary, together with the payments made out of the
funds of the Association.
14th. The Committee of management shall consist of at least five resident members of
the Association elected and renewed annually upon the first Monday of every January.
The Committee, of which any three members shall be a quorum, shall meet upon the
first Monday of every month, at which meetings members shall be elected, and notes
and memoranda intended for publication, be inspected previous to laying them before
the Quarterly General Meetings of the Association.
15th. Any three office-bearers or members of the Association desirous of assembling
the Committee of management within the stated regular periods, shall intimate the same
by letter forwarding their reasons to the Secretary, and the Committee shall be duly ©
warned by the latter to meet upon the day. proposed.
16th. Any member or subscriber, desrious of withdrawing his name from the Associ-
ation, shall declare the same to the Secretary, at some time before the first days of Janu-
ary, April, July and October. All subscriptions paid in advance, shall be forfeited upon
withdrawing from the Association.
17th. The expense of transmitting all communications and donations of books, coins,
and specimens of Natural History, shall, if it be desired, be defrayed by the Association.
Subjoined is the amended list of the office-bearers previously elected by the members
of the Sindh Association at the General Meeting held upon the 9th October, 1845.
Patron—H. E. Sir C. Napier.
President—Colonel Douglas.
Vice-President—Captain Preedy.
Committee of Management for the year 1845.
Captain McMurdo. Captain J. Napier.
Captain Browne. Captain Hughes.
Doctor Gibbon. Lieutenant Blagrave.
J. Macleod, Esq. Mr. Sparks.
Ensign Burton.
Honorary Secretary—Lieutenant Maclagan.
Treasurer—J. Macleod, Esq.
The Donations or Life Compositions and Subscriptions for the current quarter (Rs. 6)
are requested to be paid to the Treasurer.
(Signed ) R. Burron,
Camp Kurrachee, 10th October, 1845. Acting Secretary.
Memorandum by the Sub-Secretary, Asiatic Society.
In submitting the accompanying notice of the Scinde Association, together with an ex-
tract from a letter to him from Lieut. Blagrave, a zealous contributor, the Sub-Secretary
begs to suggest for the consideration of the Secretary and Committee of Papers:
1. That the Asiatic Society may be able to give great aid and encouragement to its
fellow-labourers in this new and promising field, while it derives also itself no small bene-
fit, and that this may be accomplished at a perfectly trifling expense.
2. He proposes then that the Asiatic Society offer to the Scinde Association to print
any contributions which the Editors of the Journal and the Committee may approve of,
2
4
o
‘s,
:
a
‘|
/
ey
Sig EIS ges
ae “ant
es ae ee
Dec. 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. Cxxix
as if such were part of its own contributors’ labours, reserving always the full right of
selection, time, preference, &c.
3. And that it will forward to the Scinde Association copies of every paper so pub-
lished in the Journal, keeping up for them a regular series of paging in their over-copies,
so as to give them a regularly paged series or volume which they may afterwards entitle
and index as they please.
4. Asthere is no press in Scinde, and _ printing and lithographing are far more expen-
sive at Bombay than here, it is probable that for a long time the Scinde Association may
be much checked in its useful labours by this difficulty ; for few will write without
the hope of publication, andthe Asiatic Society can grant this aid with positive benefit
to itself. While also, it should be noted, the Scinde Association will perfectly preserve
its own independence,* and obtain for all its working members their due share of credit
and encouragement.
H. Prpprneton.
Museum, 11th Nov. 1845. Sub-secretary, Asiatic Society.
Nore.—The Secretary begs strongly to support this proposal which is in his opinion
a very happy one, and highly expedient. He also begs permission to forward the back
copies of the Journal from the Ist January 1845, and to continue its Transmission gratis
to the Scinde Association.
H. Torrens,
V. P. and Secretary, Asiatic Society.
The Sub-Secretary further begged to propose that the Journal, as
far back as in the possession of the Society, be presented to the Scin-
dian Association.
These proposals as recommended by the Secretary and approved by
the Committee of Papers, was carried unanimously.
The following letter was addressed to the Scinde Association and is
inserted here for the sake of connection :—
The Secretary to the Scinde Association.
Sir,—I am desired to express to you the high gratification with which the Asiatic
Society of Bengal has learned, by a communication from Lieutenant Blagrave to its
Sub-Secretary, the establishment of the Scinde Association, and its desire to co-operate
in every way with the labours of the gentlemen composing it who have before them so
interesting a field.
2. And, as the best proof of this desire, I am directed to inform you that the Society
at its meeting of the 3rd instant have unanimously adopted the proposal annexed, which
it trusts will be agreeable, and afford most efficient aid to your efforts, and further that I
* Were we evento reject a paper sent to us, we could have it printed here for the
Seinde Association and paged into their series at their expense or that of the author.
CXXX Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Dec. 1845.
am instructed to forward to you a set of the Journal of the Asiatic Scciety, as far as
available from our stock by such route as you shall direct.
With our best wishes for the prosperity of the Scinde Association,
I am, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
H. Torrens,
Museum, 5th Dec. 18465. V. P.and Secretary Asiatic Society.
Read the following letter from Lieutenant Baird Smith to the Sub-
Secretary :—
H. Prppincrton, Ese.
My pear Pipprncron,—I send you herewith another disquisition on earthquakes,
being the register for 1843, somewhat in arrears, but this cannot now be avoided,
my spare time being so limited. 1844 was so quiet that there are not above four or
five shocks to record, so I will combine it with 1845 and send both at once, Part
IV. of the Review, which completes it, I must try and send you soon, it will be but a
short one, and if I could only get a clear week’s work at it, I would soon get clear of it.
I have found nothing at old Kerlsea worthy of the notice of the Society, old iron
knives much worn, with stones, and fragments of pottery, pieces of silver bangles, with
other indications of the spot having been the site of an old town or village have been
met with, but among them none worthy of preservation or transmission to Calcutta.
Your’s, &e.
Camp Sahabidpoor, Doab Canal, 10th Nov. 1845. Barrp Smiru.
The Secretary stated that the paper had been sent to press, and would
appear in No. 164 of the Journal now forthcoming.
Read a letter from Dr. Campbell, Resident, Darjeeling, as follows :—
H. PippincrTon, Esa.
My pear Mr. Pippinctron,—I have the pleasure to send you copy of a letter ad-
dressed by me a long time ago to the Secretary of the Society, but which has unfortu-
nately been mislaid. The document which accompanied my letter, and which is alluded to
in it, was one of much interest I think, but I did not, I regret to say, keep any copy of it.
Will you do me the favor to inform the Secretary that the tablet forwarded by him
for the monument of the late Csoma Korosi, safely reached me at Darjeeling, and was
put in its place.*
Your’s truly,
A. Campseti, M.D.
Read the following letters :—
To the Secretary of the Asiatic Society of Bengal.
Srr,—Enclosed we have the pleasure to wait upon you with Bill of Lading for
4 cases and 1| stuffed snake, shipped to your address per Fire Queen. These, together
with the enclosed letter, were delivered to us by Captain Vander Brooke, of H. N. M.
Steamer ‘‘ Brome” on the 5th instant, with a request to have the same forwarded to their
destination. As we have no further instructions regarding them, and know nothing of the
* See Proceedings, February, 1845.
Ne a ae a eS Oe ee ee ee ee ee
ee ee
Dec. 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. CXXX1
intrinsic value of the contents of the cases, (which we believe contain specimens of Na-
tural History,) we do not effect insurance. Such being the nature of the packages, we
wave with much pleasure the charges incurred in forwarding the same, as we understand
they come from the Asiatic Society of Java.
Your’s, &c.,
Singapore, 24th Oct. 1845. A. L. Jounston anp Co.
A Monsieur le Vice Président et Secretuire de la Société Asiatique de Bengale.
Mowstevur !—C’est avec un vif plaisir, que la Société des Arts et des Sciences de
Batavia a recu la lettre du 3 Juin, 1845, dont vous avez bien voulu m’honorer, et l’envoi
des volumes des Transactions et du Journal mensuel de votre honorable Société.
En me pressant de vous témoigner la parfaite satisfaction de notre Société sur ce qu’
elle vient de recevoir, j’espére de méme satisfaire au desir, exprimé dans la susdite
lettre et dans la note de Mr. Blyth qui l’accompagnait, en vous offrant tout ce dont jé
‘puis disposer pour votre Musée.
Jespere qu’il vous sera agréable de recevoir tous les arriére-volumes, disponibles, de
Transactions de notre Société, dont notre membre correspondant Mr. Melvill de Carn-
bée ne vous a pas encore fait l’offerte. Wous trouverez ci joint les volumes I. V. VII.
VIII. X1. XII. XV. XVI. XVII. et XX. Prochainement nous aurous l’honneur de
vous faire parvenir le volume X XI. dont la publication se trouve un pen retardeé.
Les livres classiques de literature Orientale, que votre Société a publiée, seront de
beaucoup de prix aupres de nous, surtout parce que nous nous occupons maintenant
principalement avec la litterature Javanaise et qu’il y a beaucoup de rapports entre celle
¢i et la litterature ancienne du continent de l’Inde.
Un exemplaire du catalogue de notre collection Archzologique, quien ce moment
est sous presse, vous sera transmis, incessament apres que ce travail sera achevé.
J’ai Phonneur de vous offrir ci joint un exemplaire d’un journal, que je publie
depuis sept ans, et quiest voué a l’ethnographie, l’archeologie, lalitterature, ete. de l’
Archipel Indién.
Nous le regrettons infiniment, de n’étre plus dans l’oceasion de vous faire des en-
vois considérables pour votre Musée Whistoire naturelle. Depuis 1843 plusieurs
causes ont contribués a la suppression de nétre Musée Zodlogique. Tous les echantillons
remarquables ont été offerts an Musée Royal d’histoire naturelle de Leide, et tous les
autres, y compris ceux d’une mauvaise conservation, ont été vendus. Cette suppression
nous la regrettons d’autant plus, qu’elle nous empéche de vous faire l’offerte des Mam-
miféres et des oseaux de l’Archipel Indién, qui, nécessairement d’une haute import-
ance pour vos galleries Zodlogiques, ne sont que d’un interét subordonneé pour le Musée
royal de Leide, qui possédait deja des echantillons de toutes les espéces, avant notre
dernier envoi. Ce qu'il nous reste encore, quoique peutétre de tres peu d’importance
pour vos galeries, nous vous l’envoyons, comme témoignage de nos voeux sincéres,
autant d’étre utile a votre Institution, que de profiter nous méme, pour la notre.
Dans une des caisses ci jointes vous trouverez quelques espéces de Cheiroptéres de
ile de Java et plusieurs espéces d’oiseaux de ]’Archipel Indiéa. Les Cheiroptéres appor-
tiennent, comme vous pourrez voir, aux genres Pteropus, Rhinolophus, Dysopes, ete.
Les oiseaux aux genres Falco, Buceros, Coracias, Sparactes, Muscicapa, Saxicola,
Sylvia, Fringilla, Parus, Hirundo, Cypselus, Podargus, Alcedo, Dacelo, Merops,
Diceum, Nectarinia, Picus, Psittacus, Bucco, Trogon, Centropus, Perdix, Co-
—
CXXxil Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Dec. 1845.
lumba, ete. Quoique plusieurs de ces échantillons sont d’une mauvaise conservation,
nous ne doutons nullement, qu’ils ne vous soient agréables.
Dans une autre caisse nous avons fait emballer une téte osseuse d’un Rhinoceros de
Java, capturé dans les forets du plateau de Bandone.
Une quatriéme caisse comprend des échantillons de quelques mammiféres, notamment
d’un Sténops de Java, de trois spéces de Sciurus, d’un Hylogale, d’un Moschus Java-
nicus, d’un Lepus mélanauchen, d’un Manis, ete.
Une cinquiéme caisse enfin comprendra une téte ossense d’un Crocodilus biporcatus de
Java, et puis quelques reptiles Cheloniens de Java.
Ce que nous venous de vous offrir, nous n’ignorons nullement, qu’il ne fait qu’une
partie tres mince des désiderata, notés sur la liste de Mr. Blyth ; mais nous osons nous
flatter, que bientot MM. les Naturalistes, membres de nétre Société, nous mettront a
méme de vous offrir des envois plus considérables et mieux conserves.
Veuillez, Monsieur, agréer l’expression de la haute considération, avec laquelle j’ai
Vhonneur d’étre.
Votre Serviteur devoué,
Van Horvett.
Président de la Société des Arts et Sciences a Batavia.
Batavia, ce 28 Septembre, 1845.
The Secretary noted here that no reply had been received from the
Batavian Society to his first communication forwarding a list of desi-
derata in the Geological and Mineralogical departments, which had been
sent long before the letter here replied to. (See Proceedings of May
last).
The Secretary stated that in reference to the purchase of the Kamoos,
one of the Arabic works desired by the Royal Academy at Christiana,
he had found that a good copy of Mr. Lumsden’s edition of that work
could not be procured for less than 150 Co.’s Rs. He had _ therefore’
referred to Capt. Bonnevie, R. N. N. for his advice before incurring this
high charge, and, all things considered, had thought it best to send for
the present the Persian Translation, which could be procured for 30 or
35 Rs., and await the farther orders of the University of Christiana.
Read the following letter from Walter Elliott, Esq., Madras C. S.
H. Torrens, Esa.
My prsar Torrens,—When I was at Guntoor the other day I wrote to you for old
Col. McKenzie’s plans, &c. of Amarawatty, which Mr. Piddington kindly sent tome. I
afterwards made some interesting excavations on the same site, and succeeded in laying
open the foundations of the magnificient debgope which McKenzie saw in a much more
perfect state, but still too imperfect to enable him to understand its plan or shape. In
digging out one of the gateways, I came upon some overthrown figures of men and
animals, statues, that had ornamented parts of the entrance, and which I found repre-
sented in relief on some of the sculptured ornaments of the building which I also dug
Dec. 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. eXxxill
out. Guided by this clue I made a plan of the whole, which I have filled up with such
details as the sculptures afforded. I think however I should be able to do this much more
completely if I had McKenzie’s drawings to refer to, and I want you now to try and get
me the loan of the Vol. of drawings in the Asiatic Society’s Library containing McKen-
zie’s sketches of Amarawatty. I should be able to do all I want in the interval between
two steamers, so that if you would send it by one it should be returned by the next.
The style of architecture in this building is totally different from anything Indian I
have ever seen, and is probably that of the early Buddhists. All the subjects relate to
Buddhist mythology, and the characters of the inscriptions are those of the 3d century,
B.C. But the inscriptions themselves are short and otherwise unimportant. So few
monuments of that age are extant, and the style of this one is so peculiar, that I think it
is highly important to investigate the subject fully. The remains on the spot are now
destroyed, the inhabitants removing every bit of marble that appears to burn it into lime,
and no one will have the same opportunities that I had to form a guess at the form of
the original construction.
I wish you would get me elected a member of your Society. I never get the Journal
regularly through my Bookseller, and if I was a member the publisher would forward
it to me direct I suppose.
I have got three boat-loads of the sculptures, excavated by me coming down by sea
from Masulipatam, which I mean to deposit in the Museum here, but as there will be
more than can easily be stowed away I would send you a few specimens if you like it.
Your’s, &c.
Madras, Nov. 3 1845. Watrter E..ior.
The Secretary stated that he had, on his own responsibility, forward-
ed the volume desired to Mr. Elliot.
Read the following letter from Dewan Neel Ruttnu Haldar, of the
Board of Customs, Salt and Opium :—
Honorep Sir,—To-morrow being the first Wednesday of the month, 1 beg to submit
a fair copy of the Kédanda Mandan, the treatise on Archery, of which I took the liberty
of shewing you the original. If the Asiatic Society should like to give this work room
in their valuable Library I shall be most happy to make them a present of it.
Your’s, &c.
Neext Rurron Harpar.
The Secretary presented on the part of Mr. K. the following coms
and Danish Antiquities for the Museum :—
Coins and antiquities presented by the Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries, through
Mr. Kamphovener, 3rd December, 1845.
1. A silver coin of Ahmed ben Ismail, (A. D. 907—913). Samarcand.
2. AD.D. of Naso ben Ahmed, (A. D. 913—943). Samarcand, 302, (A. H.)
Both coins were found in Denmark !
3. A Set of the coins of Christian 8th, four silver and eight copper coins.
4, Three Danish copper coins from Tranquebar.
CXXX1V Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Dec. 1845.
5. Four Swedish copper coins. Carl Johann, XIV.
6. A copper coin from Madeira. Maria II. D.G. Port. et Ale. Regina, 1842.
7. A Scandinavian spiral brass armlet.
8. A stone axe.
9. A ditto in an unfinished state.
10. Two stone knives,
11. A ditto with handle.
12. Four stone fragments, (chips. )
13. <A stone chisel.
14, A brass chisel (called palotaff) Angl. Celt.
Rerort or THE Curator or THE Mustum or Economic Greotocy anp Derparrt-
MENTS OF GEOLOGY aND MINERALOGY.
We have received so little this month, and I have been so much occupied with labora-
tory pursuits that my report will be very brief.
Geology and Mineralogy.
Messrs. Weaver have sent us three large specimens of fossil wood, but as yet without.
note of their locality.
Museum of Economic Geology.
We have received the following letter -from Government, with the map to which it
relates.
No. 985.
From Tur Unpver-SecreTaRy TO THE GOVERNMENT OF BENGAL, TO THE Vice-PRE-
SIDENT AND SecrRETARY, AsratTic Society.
REVENUE.
Srr,—I am directed to forward, for the use of the Museum of Economic Geology, the
accompanying Map of the Central Division of Cuttack, in fifteen parts.
A. Turnsutt,
Under-Secretary to the Government of Bengal.
Dated, Fort William, 26th Nov., 1845.
As also the following announcing that the Coal and Iron Committee being dissolved,
the collections, office furniture, and records are to be transferred to the Asiatic Society.
I have seen Dr. McClelland on the subject, and when the transfer is effected shall be able
duly to report on it.
No. 3089.
From Tue Unper-Secrerary TO THE GOVERNMENT oF BENGAL, TO THE SECRETA-
RY TO THE Asiatic Soctery.
STEAM.
Sir,—I am directed to forward, for the information of the Asiatic Society, the annexed
Lr. of 10th Nov., 1845, from Secretary copies of correspondence as per margin, with
I cee aa eeae Ainio@e.tios the late Coal and Iron Committee.
A. TurRNBULL,
Under-Secretary to the Goverment of Bengal,
Dated, Fort William, 29th Nov., 1845.
Dec. 1845.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. CXXXV
(Cortes. )
To F. J. Haturpay, Ese. Secrerary To THE GOVERNMENT oF Bencat, Etc.
Sir,—I have the honor to state, for the information of His Honor the Deputy Gover-
nor, that your letter, No. 2752, dated 22d October, dissolving the Coal Committee, was
received on the 27th ultimo. The three following days having been native holidays, it
was not circulated until the Ist instant, from which date the Hurkaru and Painter
entertained on the Establishment of the Committee have been discharged, but the servi-
ces of the writer may be necessary for a few weeks longer.
2. I beg herewith to annex a list of office furniture and collections, for the disposal of
which I solicit the orders of Government, as well as of the Committee record.
I have, &c.
(Signed ) J. McCie.uanp,
Late Secretary Coal and Iron Committee.
Calcutta, the 10th Nov., 1845.
Mural tables containing Geological collections, .......se.eesee0. wets INO) oO
PIAVEAN .)<:5, «.0 o> os Dleteversiagetatacereietaia chtis\els ale efele aiuin alcceigle © eles ein’ abuse bere.
Collections of specimens of coal and iron ores from various parts, ........ 4, 3
RMP MRT TEE OOS Ss fo pel aici o70.4 5 ule) ofeeie ale 0. 0:0 sole sisie oc. e eisle ss] « ovs\eaia Mle mo
(Signed ) J. McCuie.ianp,
Secretary, late Coal Committee.
No. 3088.
From Tue Unper-Secretary TO THE GovERNMENT OF Bencoat To THE SEcRETA-
RY TO THE LATE Coat CommMiIrTrTeEE.
STEAM.
Srr,—In reply to your letter of the 10th instant, I am directed to request that you will
forward to the Secretary to the Asiatic Society, the collections, records, &c. of the late
Coal Committee, for deposit in the Society’s rooms.
(Signed ) A. Turnesutt,
Under-Secretary to the Government of Bengal.
Dated, Fort William, 29th Nov., 1845.
(True Copies. )
A. TurNnBULL,
Under-Secretary to the Government of Bengal.
For all the foregoing presentations and communications the best
thanks of the Society were accorded.
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JOURNAL
OF THR
ASIATIC SOCIETY.
Mr. Ivory’s Tables of mean Astronomical refractions, revised and
augmented by Major J.T. Borteau B. E. Superintending Mag-
netic Observaiory Simla.
The first of these Tables was published in the Philosophical Tran-
sactions of the Royal Society for 1823, pp. 491, et seq: and a second
paper and Table by the same author, appeared in the Philosophical
Transactions for 1838. The mean refractions for Zenith distances
under 83° correspond exactly in both the above Tables, but the re-
fractions differ for Zenith distances between 83° and the horizon.
In Table I. of the original (of 1828) the mean refractions are given
for each degree only as far as Z. D. 70° inclusive, and thence for
every 10’ to the horizon. In the accompanying Tables intermediate
numbers have been obtained by interpolation to differences of the
third and second order, and they have been so arranged that the
tabular refractions for that part of the Table of most practical utility
shall vary only between one and two seconds.
The numbers in the original Table for the last degree of Zenith
distance, however, were found to give such irregular differences that
the whole of the intermediate numbers between the limits of 89° and
90° have been obtained by differences to the third order, from the
mean refraction for 89° i. e. 24’ 26.”8, and the horizontal refraction
34’ 32." And although the alterations which this arrangement has
No. 157, No. 73, New Series. B
2 Mr. Ivory’s Tables of mean LNo. 157.
introduced are of no practical importance, the following detail of the
interpolations is inserted here as a guarantee for the course which has
been adopted.
TABLE I. Interpolations between num- TABLE II. Interpolations between Ta-
bers as in the Original Table of 1838. bular refractions for Z.D. 89° & Z.D.90°
Mean Tab.
Mean | Tab. ee
Zen) ceirac: | di |, Or, | ng | ae vefrae- | ait | 41) Sai] ee ee
Ste ls Mion, MB tion. | M.R. oe
Sri, (ee) PUNT ree MRR (by Re Ae Ce NM ake SS ee
"ot lane oe “ au “
89.00 | 24: 16.80 24: 26.80
“tt ae teas Wf aos off 39.2
05 | 25:05.97) 80 g 1.66 25 : 06. 80,1) Fe. 1.7
oe SA aDBe we te ae Se en ae Me a ET
10 | 25: 46.80 oe 1.83 25:46. 9 nen 1.3 |
ote eee 42.66 oce +.15 oe eee 42.7 woe +.1 -+-0.10
15 }26: 29.46) 87.40} ... 2.08 Be 29. Bill Bi.8| vee 1.9
Reis OETA, Pe eee a 3, 44.6] +1) 40.14
20 | 27: 14.20 Pe eee Bre N Bh ce | dea Ne
E io e46.66)" cc 106 a we 46.6} .. | .0'-++0.00
25 |28: 00.86| 95.30)... 1.98 98:00. 8). 95.2) ... 2.0
OE Ee ROE metas me ee) Mol bo coes | sb bietees eel a Ot
30 | 28: 49.50 dee 2.10 23:49. 4 5a 2.2
REID PCR ar aa Ne oC Saat mas BO:8 1 wenn I, eed 0.10
85 |29: 40.24) 103.70]... 2,22 29:40- 2} 103.9)... 2.3
me intaes sc e000 ON ces —.26 ee ma Gee eee -+-.2| —0.14
40 |30: 33.20 ae 1.96 SUUBBE Ca] cer Ms 2.5
cat a a i ise 3 55Gb. we +.1 40.19
45 \3h-s 2BU2| V2T90)) orn. 2.06 ON 28 OOS e acs 2.6 |
Mi card ify accel SIC BBL 2a Al tebe wis wih Stow." DL 4 5B2 |) ag ONO. 7a
50 132: 25.30 oom 3.22 SG Are a ihe kas ips 2.8
He Ft 60201 ways W2k29.96 “3 e. Chae -+L.1| 0.20
55 133: 26.30) 126.90) ... 5.50 33228. 2) 124.9). es)
Bo cal ah 65, ea ope pe 63.0) peat Wee ae EEE OUIS
90.00 |34: 32.00 34 332,
The numbers to which asterisks are affixed, are those of the original
Table.
With a view to facilitate the computation of numbers still interme-
diate between those in the present Table, Log. differences correspond-
ing to one minute of altitude and to one second of refraction, have been
given in separate columns.
The Tables (II and III of 1838) containing the Log co-efficient for
Barometric pressure and for temperature, have been extended by con-
tinuing the application of the tabular differences to the limits of prac-
tical utility, and the co-efficients of the correction for altitudes under
10° have been taken from their respective columns in the original Ta-
ble I. and extended by interpolation as above.
The following examples, will explain the use of the Tables.
Let P. denote the height of the Barometer.
it Potnhy the temperature, Fahrenheit.
» TT. ,, the Zenith distance of the object.
1845.4 Astronomical refractions. 3
Then as far as 80° of Zenith distance the log mean refraction is
equal to Log. P. From Taste 1.
+ Log. T. From Taste 1.
+ Log. Z From TasBve 111,
and to the refraction so found, must be applied the following correc.
tions when the Zenith distance exceeds 80° vizt.
— T.(T. — 50°.)
— b. (30 in.— p.)
The values of T. and b. will be found in TaBze trv.
Example I. The observed Zenith distance of Capella being
80°, 24’, 09.4.
The height of the Barometer 29.73 and the Temperature 47.°75.
Fahrenheit required the refraction ?
tog. PP. 29.73 Table, 1. oe we -» 9.99607
Log. T. 47.75 Table; 11.) °° #2: “53 .- 0.00214
Log. Z. 88°: 20': 00 Table, 11... 4s ion OS
Propl. part for 04’: 09”.4 = 04'.157. .. ie de 840
(eee Se
Nearest Tabular refraction, #i -- 20°: 04.68 3.08748
ee ee
Log. diff. 661 -+ 36 or Tab. diff. for 1".= + 18.37
T. (T.—50°) (Table 1v.)= —.92-+-—2.°25= + 2.32
b. (80 in. p.) (Table 1v.)= —167 +,+.27= — 0.495
Sere Ce ee
Mean refraction, .«. A, ig s2 20". 24" 92
ed
Example II. From the appendix to the Greenwich Transactions
for 1836.
To find the refraction for Zenith distance 83°. 22’, the Barometer
reading being 29.63 and Thermometer 58°. 1.
_ Log. P. 29.63 Table, 1. ap ie -- 9.99461
Log- T. 58.°1 Table, 11. ae is .- 9992389
Log. Z. 83° 20’ Table, 111. Ls pi -- 2.66759
Propl. part for 02" 3 Be big os with 190
Nearest Tabular refraction, ay sah: 807.2142 65641
a Mr, Ivory’s Tables of mean, &c. [No. 187.
Log. diff. 308. ~ 94 or Tab. diff. for 1.” =, + 03.28
T. (T.—50°) Table 1v,=, —.08 x, + 8.1==,—00,65
b. (30 in. p.) i. — 14x, + .37=, —00,05
Mean refraction by the tables, as Fs 82."99
Ditto ditto by P. Bessel’s Tables, ane lay
pendix, Gr. Tr. 1836, _ eu, se
Refraction by Ivory’s Tables, ~ eo + 1.08
When the altitude of the body is observed it is advisable to convert
it into Zenith distance by subtraction from 90°, the proportional parts
of the Logs. being then additive.
Example III. The altitude of the sun’s lower limb was observed
45°: 15’: 42”5, the Barometer standing at 23.33, and the Thermometer
at 47.2 Fahrt. required the refraction.
(90° — 45°: 15.' 42".5) == 44°: 44’: 197.5. = Z.
Log. P. 23.33 Table 1. an — -- 9.89079
Log. T. 47°.2 Table 1. on ii -- 0.00266
Log. Z. 44°: 80’ Table 111. sie a vies ae ae
Prop. part for 14.292 do. ni a hp 357
Nearest Tabular number, 6 a 0’: 44."80 1.65557
Log. diff. 43 + 96 or Tab. diff, for 1’= + 0.45
Mean refraction, re i a 0O': 45.25
The following errata in the Original Table (Phil. Trans. for 1838)
have been corrected.
Mean Refraction for Z.D. 89°: 50’ printed 32’: 15’’.10 should be 32':25’’.1
Log. diff. Z.D.89°:00'and 89°:10' .. .. ZOUO an ee 2306
86°:40’ and 86°:50’ .. .. TOOT Te pteee 1527
85°:40' and 85°:50' .. ... Pole. aoe 1308
83°:00' and 83°:10' .. .. — 883 2... 933
H.E.I.C. Magnetic Observatory, Simla, December, 1842.
(Tasurz 1.) Ilvory’s mean Astronomical Refractions. (Tasue Il.) §
FAHRENHEITS ‘’}HERMOMETER. BAROMETER.
a Log. {x3 s0|| & Log. z Sh a Log. |2.d = Lo oe
8 | arithm. Ze = | arithm. |22 -~ | arithme |= Si) -= ith. |e
= 5 “ rn me S arithm. |= =
° ° Ins.
10 | 0.03952 |193 || 70 | 9.98240 32.0 | 0.02803 Piatt ‘giaaiek
11 | 0.03849 71 | 9.98049 | 2! |\31.9 | 0.02667 |!88 || 95-9 | 9.93618 |187
12 | 0.03746 |{p5 || 72 | 9.97958 | gt || -8 | 0.02531 [30 |] 8 998450 |168
13 | 0.03644 [152 || 73 | 9.97867 | 34 || .7 | o.azg4 [127 |) '7 | 9.93081 [169
14 | 0.03542 |'02 || 74 | 9.97777 | gp || .6 | 0.02957 {122 || ‘6 | gy3ii2 [169
is | 0.03440 |/22 || 75 | 9.97686 | 2! 5 | oo2g9 tee |} 92942 | 170
102 90 || ° Bes. ian 9 ee oe
16 | 0.03338 |Toy || 76 | 9.97596 | gq || «4 | 0.01981 4a} g.ga77 |t7!
17, | 0.03237 |!5) || 77 | 9.97509 | gy || -3 | 0.01842 |123 |) °3 | 9.92600 |!7!
18 | 0.03136 |155 || 78 | 9.97416 | d || :2 | 0.01703 |}3q || 2 | 9.92au8 |172
19 | 0.03034 |!0? || 79 | 9.97396 | 22 |] ‘1 | o.0186a |135 |] 11. | 992255 {173
20 | 0.02933 |15, || 80 | 9.97237 31.0 | 0.01424 |125 || 25.0 | 9.92082 [173
21 | 0.02832 |! si | 9.97148 | 8? |} 309 | o.o1o84 {129 |} 94.9 | 9.91908 |'74
22 | 0.02730 | 101 || 82 | 997058 | go || 8 | 0.01143 {4h || 8 | 9.91733 {175
23 | 0.02630 |!) || 83 | 9.96969 | 83 |} :7 | o.o1002 |F45 || «7 | 9.91558 {175
24 | 0.02531 |102 || 84 | 9.96880 | 82 || 6 | O.ous60 |;45 || 6 | 9.91381 {178
25 | 0.02432 | ,2, || 85 | 9.96791 | ge || -5 | 0.00718 |142 || -5 | 9.91204 |!78
26 | 0.02332 |! 86 | 996703 | 88 4\ 0.00575 |= ||. 91037 [122
, 3 a 0B | gaz (4-1 fa; 0. ee eg te
27 | 0.02232 }"gg || 87 | 9.96615 "3 | 0.00432 3 | 9.90839 |178
28 | 0.02133 | 29 || 88 | 9.96527 | 88 1] *2 | o.o0289 134 || 12 | 9.90669 |]8°
29 | 0.02034 | 22 || 89 | 9.96140 | 84 1) «1 | o.oo1a5 [142 || 1 | 990489 189
30 | 0.01935 99 | 9.96352 | 88 |130.0 | o.ovov0 |!4° || e4'0 | 9.90308 |18!
31 | 0.01837 | 2° || 91 | 9.96265 | 84 |199.9 | 9.99855 |!42 |) 23°99 | 9.90127 |!81
32 | 0.01738 | 22 || 92 | 9.96177 | 88 || 8 | 9.99709 [148 || "8 | o'sogae |}8!
33 | 0.01640 | 29 || 93 | 9.96089 | 8 || :7 | 9.99563 1148 || :7 | 9.s9763 188
34| 0.01541 | 22 || 94 | 9.96002 | 8 || [6 | 9.99417 4,99 || -6 | 9.89579 |/84
35 | 0.ol44a | 94 || 95 | g.osgia | 88 |] ‘5 | g'99z70 |!47 || 5 | 9.89395 |!84
36 | 0.01346 96 | 9:95927 | 2” || [4 | 9.99193 |!47 || [41 9.899209 |!86
37 | 0.01248 | go || 97 | 9.95740 | 8 |] 13 | 9.98075 [745 || -3 | 9.89023 | 88
38 | 0,01151 | 34 || 98 | 9:95953 | B || 2 | 9.98826 |ig0 || .2 | 9.88837 | 188
39 | 0.01053 | 8% || 99 | 9.95567 | 8° || ‘1 | 9.98677 [549 || ‘1 | 9.ss6ag [188
40 | 0.00957 100 | 9.95480 | 8% ||29'0 | 9.98628 |749 || 23:0 | 9.88460 |;82
41 | 0.00861 | 2° ||101 | 9.95394 | 8° || 28.9 | 9.98378 | 12° |/ 22:9 | 9.88271 | 189
42 | 0.00764 | 92 |/102 | 9.95307 | 8% ||" 8 | 9.98297 [121 || "3 | 9:seus |}2°
43 | 0.00668 | 28 ||103 | 9.95220 | S@ || :7 | 9.98076 |)24 || :7 | 9.87890 |72!
44 | 0.00572 | 28 ||104 | 9.95435 | 8° || 6 | 9.97924 |122 || ‘6 | g.si6g9 | 19!
45 | 0.00476 | oe ||105 | 9.95050 | 82 || <5 | 9.97772 |)22 || °5 | 987506 | 193
46 | 0.00380 | 2° ||106 | 9.94965 | 82 || ‘4 | 9.97620 |122 || ‘4 | 987313 [183
47 | 0.00285 | 22 |I107 | 9.94880 | 8 || :3 | 9.97467 [793 |} '3 | gs7iie [195
48 | 0.00190 | ge |{108 | 9.94794 | ge || 2 | 9.97313 |)24 || :2 | 9 86923 |!98
49 | 0.00094 | 2° ||109 | 9.94709 | 83 |] ‘1 | 9.97159 [24 |) <1 | 9.86797 | 197
50 | 0.00000 110 | 9.94695 | 8&4 |los'0 | 997004 1152 |] 2910 | 9.86530 | 197
51 | 9.99906 | 24 |\111 | 9.94540 | 8 |197:9 | 9.96848 | 128 |} 91'9 | 9.86332 |!98
52 | 9.9981: | 2) ||112 | 9.94455 | 83 || -8 | 9.90692 |128 |)" 8 | 986134 [78
53 | 9.99717 113 | 9.94371 | 84 || ‘7 | 9.96536 {196 || °7 | 9:85gg4 |200
54 | 9.99623 | ot ||114 | 9.94287 | 84 || ‘6 | 9.96379 [152 || ‘6 | 9.85733 |20}
55 | 9.99529 | 24 |l115 | 9.94203 | 84 || 35 | 9.9602) [198 |] 75 | 9is5532 [202
56 | 9.99434 | 2° |l116 | 9.91119 | 84 || [4] 9.96063 |198 || <4 | 9.85329 1203
57 | 9.99341 | 33 ||117 | 9.94035 | 84 || :3 | 9.95904 |122 || (3 | 9.85126 |573
58 999248 | 23 |/118 | 9.93951 | 83 || (2 | 9.95745 ] 129 || 2 | 98agai (502
59 9.99154 | 23 |l119 | 9.93868 | 83 || 11 | 9.95585 | 199 || “1 | 9 8a7i6 (502
60 | 9.99061 120 | 9.93785 | 88 |la7'0 | 9.95424 | 16! |laro | 9.84510 1206
61 | 9.98969 | 22 |]191 | 9.93701 | 84 |!96.9 | 9.95263 |!6! |] 90.9 | 9.84303 |207
62 | 9.98375 | 2s |l122 | 9.93618 | 83 || 8 | 9.95101 [162 || .8 | 9.s4oga [502
63 | 998783 | 22 ||123 | 9.93535 | 83 || ‘7 | 9.91939 162 7 | 9.83885 |209
64 | 9.98690 | 3) |/124 | 9.93452 | 83 || °6 | 9.91776 163 || ‘6 | 9/83675 {310
65 | 9.98598 | 92 |/125 | 9.93370 | 82 |) °5 | 9.94612 |/63 || '5 | 9.3463 |212
66 | 9.98506 | 22 |/126 | 993288 | $2 || ‘4 | 9.94448 164 |) "4 | 9.9395] |2!2
67 | 9.98414 | 8? |{127 | 9.93205 | $2 || ‘3 | 9.94283 [164 |] 3 | 9.83037 /2!4
98 | 9.98323 | 2) |l1v8 | 9.93120 | 2 || ‘2 | 9.94118 165 || °9 | ggossg (2/4
69 | 9.98231 | 9? |l129 | 9.93041 | 82 |) "1 | 9.93952 768 || “1 | o.s26u7 [216
70 | 9.98140 130 | 9.92958 *? |} 96.0 | 9.93785 67 |190.0 | 9.82391 |2/6
°
Zen
iAlt. {dist
o-€ o/f
/90.00! 00.00
is9 {01
88 02
187 03
‘86 104
85 105
84 |06
83 U7
82 {08
iS] 09
i80 «| LO
79 1]
73 12
77 l3
76 {14
75 = 115
74 16
73 ll7)
72 18
71 19
70 ~=|20
69 2]
68 22
67 23
66 24
65 «| 25
64 26
63. |27
62 28
161.30) 28-30
61 9
60.30) 29.30
60 30
59.30)30.30
59 3]
58.30] 31.30
58 32
57.30} 32.30
By) 33
56.30| 43.30
56 34
55.30] 34 30
55 °' (35
54.30| 35.30
54 - |36
53.30/|36.30
53 «(137
52°30|37.30'
52 [38
51.30) 38.30
51 {39
50.30) 39.30
50 140
49.30] 40.30
49 {41
48.30] 41.30
48 142
47.30) 42.30
47 43
16.30] 43.50
45 144
Ivory’s mean Astronomical Refractions.
Mean
Refrac-
tion.
/ uv
00.00.00
01.02
02.04
03.06
04.08
05.11
00.06.14
07.17
08.21
09.25
10.30
11.35
00.12.42
13.49
14.56
15.66
1675
17.86
; 00.18.98
20.11
21.26
22.42
23.60
24.80)
00 26.01
27.24
28.49
29.76
31.05 |
31.71
00.32.38) 1.
33.05
33.72
34.40]
35.09
35.79 |
00.36.49.
37-20
37.93 |
38.66.
39.39
00.40.14)
40.89
41.65
42.42
43.21
44.10
44.80
00.45.61
46.43
47.27!
48.12
48.99.
49.87,
00.50.76
51.66
52.47,
53.49
54.43
55.38
00.56.35.
|
1.5191
1.5279
1.5366
1.5452
1,9537
1.5632
1.5706
1.5790
1.5873
1.5955
1.6036
1.6116
1.6196
1.6276)
1.6356
1.6435
1.4513
1.6591
1.6668
1.6746
1.6823
1.6901
1.6978
1.7055
1.7131
1.7204
1.7283
].7358
1.7434
1.7510
{
EE
Log. diff. for
ZD.
50
— — 5 wd
WH WW WW WO WW WO WW WWW WNW WW WW WWW WW WNWWWWHKWERARRRROMARAYUIMOSU WOLDS
I’ off 1” of
Refn. |
SS ee.
a
Zen.
Alt. | dist.
of7/ o7
46.00} 44,00
45.30] 44.30
45 45
44,30] 45.30
44 |46
43.30] 46.30
43 |47
42.30] 47.30
42 |48
45/48.15
30! 30
Lol 45
41,00) 49.00
45 15
30; 30
i) 45
40.00 50.00
49' 15
30; 30
15) 45
39 0051.00
AB). | te
30; 30
le 45
38.00) 52.00
45 15
30| 30
15} = 45
37.00/53.00
45 1d
30; 30
15| | 45
36.00 |54.00
45 15
30} 30
15 45
35.00) 55.00
45 1d
30; 30
1S) | 45
34.00 /56.00
45 15
30} 30
15| 45
33.00|57.00
49 15
30! 30
15 45
32.00 158.00
45 15
avi 20
15} 45
(31.00|59.00
| 45 183)
I 301: 80
et Ae 45
30.00 | 60.00
45 15
30; 30
ial as
| 43.
29.00 61.00 | 01,45.01
|
|
Mean.
Refrac-
tion.
Or
‘ tl
00.56.35
07.35
58.36
09.39
01.00.43
01.49
02.57
03.67
01.04.80
05.37
(Tasux III.)
1.75100
1.75855
1.76611
1.77367
1.78123
1.78380
1.79637
1.80396
1.81155
1.81535
1.81915
1.82296
1.82678
1.82060
1 83442
1.83825
1.84208
1.84592
1.84976
1.85361
1.85747
1.86134
1.86521
1.86909
1.87298
1.87688
1.88079
1.88461
1.88863
1.89256
1.89690
1.90044
1.90440
1.90838
1.911237
1.91637
1.92038
1.92440
1.92843
1.93247
1.93653
1.94060
1.94469
1.94879
1.95291
1.95704
1.96129) |
1.96536] |
1.96955]
1.97375} |
1.97797
1.98221
1.98646
1.99073
1.99502
1.93934!
2.00368
2.00804
9.01242
2 01682
2.02124
Log. diff. for
]’ of, I” of
ZD. |Refn.
25 7959
25 741
20 734
25 727
25 714
25 701
25 690
25 672
79) 667
25 667
25 657
25 648
25 645
25 637
26 628
26 628
26 624
26 624
26 6!
26 604
26 604
26 095
26 588
26 581
26 581
26 975
26 568
26 561
26 561
26 955
26 547
26 542
27 539
27 531
27 525
Pah 520
27 515
27 517
27 Sil
27 501
27 903
27 499
27 488
27 485
28 480
28 477
28 474
28 471
28 462
28 460
28 456
28 452
29 445
29 442
29 436
29 434
29 432
29 425
29 419
29 413
<< e* oe a ee
\(Taste III.)
1
zen. | as
Alt. |dist. ss
ro See o/? 4 “]
99.00/| 61.00} | 1.45.01
50 10}| 45.73
40 20 46.45
80| 30|| 47.19
20! 40/| 47.93
10 5U|| 48.68
28.00}62.00] | 1.49.44
50 10)| 50.20
40| 20|} 50.97
30; 30)| 51.76
90| 40|| 52.55
10} 50/| 53.35
27.00|63.00} | }.64.17
50 10)} 54.99
40 20 55 82
30| 30)| 36.66
26 40 57.00
10 50 58.35
26.00)| 64-00) | 1.59.22
50} 10/!2.00.10
40 20 00.99
30} 30)| 01.89
20; 40)} 02.80
10| &9)|| 03.72
95,00| 65-00} |2.04.65
50 10)| 05.59
40; 20]; 06.54
30; 30!) 07.51
90; 401] 08.49
10! 501] 09.48
24,00} 66.00} |2.10.48
50 11.50
40| 20/]| 12.53
30| 30!) 13.57
20| 40!| 14.62
10} 50}| 15.69
93.00| 67-00] |2. 16.78
50 1 17.88
40} 20}| 18.99
30| 380!| 20.12
90) ° 40) ) 21,27
10; 4450) 22.43
92.00| 68-00} |2.23.61
50| 10}! 924.8)
40 20 26.03
30| 30)| 27.96
20 40 28.50
1G} 50}| 29.76
91.00| 69.00) |2.31.64
55| O05!| 31.69
50 10|| 32.34
45 15) | 33.900
40| 20|| 33.66
3p) 25 34.33
30} 30] |2.35.00
Dab BO)\.| . 35.68
20| 40)| 36.36
15) 45|| 57.05
10} 50\| 87.75
05} 55!| 38.45
20:00} 70.00! | 2.39.16
Ivory’s mean Astronomical Refractions.
Loga-
rithm.
2.02124
2.02420
2.02717
2.03015
2.03315
9.03616
2.03918
2.04221
2 04526
2.04832
9.05138
9.05446
9.05755
9.06065
2, 46377
2.06690
2.07004
9.07319
9.07635
2.07954
2.08274
2.08595
2.08918
2.09242
2.09567
2.09894 |
2.10223 |
2.10553|
2.10885
2.11219
2.11555
2.11892
2.12230
2.12570
2.12912
2.13256
2.13602
2.13950
2. 14300
2.14652
2.15006
2.15362
2.15720
2.16080
2°16442
2.16806
2.17172
2.17540
Biol!
2, 18097
2.18284
2.18471
2.18659
2.18847
2.19036
2.19226:
2.19416
2.19607
2.19794
2.19992
cami
— ee ee | et ee
| Log. diff. for | |
ot (1? Jot
Z. D.| Refn.
30; 412
30 4ll
30 | 404
30 | 404
30 | 401
30 | 398
30 | 398
31 | 396
31 | 387
31 | 387
31 4 385
31 | 377
31 | 377
31 | 377
31 374
31 | 373
32 | 2371
32 | 363
32 | 363
32 | 360
32 | 307
32 | 359
32 | 352
33! 350
33 | 348
33 | 346
33 | 340
33 | 339
33 | 337
34 | 336
34 | 330
34 | 328
34 | 427
34 | 326
34 | 322
35 | 317
35 | 31
30 | 315
35 | 312
39 | 308
36 | 307
36 | 303
36 | 300
86 |) ):297
36 | 296
37 | 395
37 | 292
37 | 290
37) 287
37 | \)-287
38 | 384
38 | 284
38 | 981
38 | 281
38 | 279
38 | 279
33 | 277
38 | 275
39 | 275 |
39°| 272 |
Zen.
Alt. |dist.
o / eo?
20.00} 70.00
a9) 05
00 10
45 15
4U 20
35 25
30 30
25 39
20 40
15 45
10 50
05 319)
19.00} 71.00
ad (0)
50 10
45 15
40 20)
a t3) 20
30 30
29 35
20 40
15 45
10 410)
05 05
18 0072.00
59d 05
OU 10
495 15)
40 20
3D 25
30 30
25 35
20 40
15 49
10 50
05 5)
17-00| 73.00
5o 05
00 10
45 15
40 20
30 25
3 30
pS) 35
20 40
6) 45
10 00
09 55
16.00 |74.00
9) 05
00 10
45 15
40 20
35 20
30 30
29 30
20 40
15 45
10 50
05 5d
15.00 75.00 3.
Loga-
rithm.
Z.
2.20185
2.20379
2.20573
2.20768
2.20963
2.21159
2.21356
2.21504
2.21752
2.21951
2.22190
2.22351
2.22052
2.22754
2.22956
2.23159
2.23363
2.23568
2.23773
2.23979
2.24186
2.24394
2.24603
2 24812
2.25022
2.25233
2, 20445
2.25657
2.25870
2.26084
2.26299
2.26515
2.26732
2.26950
2.27168
2.27388
2.27608
2.27829
2.28051
2.28274
2.28498
2.28723
2.28948
2.29174
2.29402
2.29631
2.29860
2.30091
2.30323
2.30556
2.30789
2.31023
2.31259
2.31496
2.31734
2.31973
2.32213
2.32454
2.32696
2.33039
2.33184
7
|
Log. diff. for,
]/ of jy"! of
ZD.) Refn.
Fr achaaianamar | Gudea emcees |
|
39 | 271
39 | 271
|
39 | 271 |
39 | 266 |
39 | 266 |
40 | 265 |
40 | 265 |
40 | 262 |
40 |} 262
40} 261
40 |} 959
40 } 258
40 | 256 |
41 | 254 |
41 254
41 | 953
41 | 953
41 ; 349
41 | 249
42 | 248
42 | 248
42 | 246
42 | 244
42 | 243
42 | 243
42} 2a]
43 | 239
43 | 238 |
43 | 238
43 | 237
43 | 236
44 234
44 | 233
44 228
44 | 992%
44 227 |
MD 19997
45 225
49 | 225 |
45 | 23
49°; 222
46 | 222i
46 220 }
46 220
46 | 218
46 | 217 |
47 | 216 |
A7 | Ola”)
47 | 213 |
AF OBS ah
47 | 212 |
48} 210!
48 | 205 |
48 907 |
48 206 |
48 | 205 |
49 | 204 |
49 | 203 |
Zen.
Alt.
io et o.-4
a3
Ss
dist. a)
= o
~
15.00| 75.00} {5.34.70
05| 0
55) 05)| 09.50
50| 10|} TLV
45| 15|| 12.74
40| 20! 14,39
35| 25 | 1606
30| 30 14.17.75
25| 35 | 19.46
20) (40: | -2EZLO
15] 45 | 22.95
10| 50 | 24.72
05| - 55 | 26.51
12.00}78-00 |4.28.33
55| 05!1 30,17
50} 10/| 32.04
45| 15/| 33.93
40| 20|| 35.84
35| 251] 37.78
30} 30/|4.39.75
25| 35]| 41.74
20) 40|| 43.76
15! 45|| 45.81
10} 50}} 47.89
05| 55}| 49.99
| 11.00 79,00] 14 52.12)
| 55 05|| 54.28
1» BOt} BO | 56 47
45! 15/| 58.69
40! 20/|5.00.94
35] 25!| 03.22
30} 301! 05.54
25| 35|| 07.89
20} 40)| 10.28
| 15) 45!| 12.70
10] 50! 15.66
05} 55|| 17.66
10.00|80.00 |5.
ij
20.19
{
oo Hi oft of
° Z.D.| Refn.
2 33104
2.33430|{ 49 | 202
2.33677|| 49} 201
2.33925|| 50 | 200
2.34174|| 5 197
2.34424|| 50! 197
2.34676]}| 50 | 196
2.349291} 51 | 196
2.35183|| 51 | 195
2.35438/| 51 | 193
2.35695|| 51 | 192
2.35953|}| 52 | 190
2.26212|! 52 {| 129
2 36473|| 52 | 188
2.36735|| 52 | 187
2.36998!| 53 | 185
2337263) | Vb3 puss
2.37529|| 53 | 183
2.37796|| 53 | 183
2.38064] 54] 181
2.38334|| 54] 180
2.38606'| 54 | 179
2.38879|| 55 | 178
2.39154|| 55 | 177
2.39430|| 55 | 176
2.39708/|| 56 175
2.39987|| 56 | 173
2,40268|| 56 | 172
9.40550|| 561 I71
2.40834|| 57 | 171
2.41119|| 57 | 169
2.41406]] 57 | 168
2.416951] 58, 167
2.41986]/} 58} 165
2.42278]| 58 | 165
2.42572|} 59 | 164
2.42867|| 59 | 162
2.43164|| 59 | 161
2 43464|| 60] 160
2.43764|| 60} 159
244066|| 60 | 158
2.44370|| 61 157
2.44677|| 61 156
2.44985|| 62 155
2.45295|| 62] 153
2.45608)! 63} 153
9.45902!| 63 | 151
2.462381} 63 | 151
2.46556|| 64] 149
2.46876!| 64] 148
2.47198]}| 64 | 147
2.47552|| 65 | 146
9.47848]! 65 | 145
2.48176|| 66; 144
2.485071| 66} 143
2.488401| 67 | 142
2.49175|; 67 | 140
2.49513|| 681 140
2.49853/| 68 | 138
2.50196|| 69 | 137
2.50541|} 69 | 136
Zen
Alt. jdist
Qf) eal
10.00}80.00
55 05
50 10
45 15
40 20
35 25
30} 30
25 35
20!' 40
15 45
10}; 50
05 5d
09.00'8].00
ie 05
50 10
45 15
40 20
3bl 920
30| 30
29 35
20; 40
15 45
10} 50
O05) S395
08.00/82.00
55
50 10
45 15
40 20
30 25
30] 30
Jap) bo
20; 40
1s) ee 3)
1G} 50
O05} $955
07.00 ' 83.00
55) 2105
50} 10
o 15
40; 20
Oo} feeb
30} 30
25) a0
20) a0
15, 40
10}. 59
05 5d
06.00} 84.00
O51 (05
50 10
45 15
40} 20
35 25
30| 30
2p Vemma
20; 40
15} 45
10) 50
05} 55
ee 85.00
Mean
Refract.
|
46.00
9,393.96
Loga-
rithm.
Z.
2.50541
2.50887
2.51237
2.51589
2.51943
2.52300
2.02660
2.53020
2.03387
2.53755
2.54125
2.54498
2.54874
- 2.55253
2.95639
2.56019
2.56409
2.56798
2.57 192
2.97589
2.57989
2.58393
258800
259210
2.59624
2.60041
2.60462
9.60886
2.61313
2.61774
2.62179
2.62618
2.63062
2.63509
2.63961
2.64417
2.64877
2,65341
2.65809
2.66282
2.66759
2.67241
2.67727
2.68218
2.68713
2.69213
2.69718
2.70229
2.70746
2.71267
2.71793
2.72229
2,72862
2.73405
2.73954
2.74509
2.75070
2.70637
2.76210
EEE
2.76970
2.77376 |
SS ire er ere ee Ss a
Ivory’s mean Astronomical Refractions. (Tasxe III.)
|| Log diff. for
(wae ee
lof) 1” of
ZD.| Refn. ;
— |e
69| 135
70| 134
70! 133
71| 132
71| 13,
72\) 131
72' 128
73, 128
74). 127
74 195
75 124
75) 193
76) 122
76] 121
77| 120
78| 119
78| 118
79| 117
79| 116
80| 115
gi| 114
8l 12
g2| 111
83| Ill
83) 109
84) 109
85| 108
85| 106
86| 105
87| 104
88/ 103
g9| 102
89| 101
90! 100
91} 99
92| \ 98
93/ 97
94 96 ;
95; 95 :
95| 94 :
96} 93 ip
97| 92 a
93; 9 | am
99 90 -
100; 89 7
lol| 88
102] 87 it
103} 86
104} 85 ‘
105/84
106} 83
107) 81
109} 81
110; 79
hil] = 79
112] 78
113) 2
115| 76
116} 75
117] “el
(Tasze III.)
Mean.
Refract.
U “i
9.53.96
10.02.13
10.52
a Sou
Si aSo GERSE
EE SS Sa ae SS SE ee
Ivory’s mean Astronomical Refractions.
Loga-
rithm.
‘Ze
2.77376
2.77969
2.78569
2.79176
2.79789
2.80409
2.81037
2.81673
2.82316
2.82967
2.83626
2.84293
2.84968
2.85652
2.86345 |
2.87046
2.87757
2.88476
2.89205
2.89944
2.90693
2.91462
2.92220
2.92999
2.93790
2.94591 |
2.95402
2.96225
2.97060
2.97906
2.98764
2.99635
3.00519
3.01417
3.02329
3.03254
3.04192
3.05144 |
3.06110
3.07091
3.08087
3.09099
3.10127
3.11170
3.12229
3.13305
3.14398
3.15509
3.16637
3.17783
3.18947
3.20130
3.21331
3.2205 |
3.23789
3.20046
3.26323
3.27620
3.28938
3.30278
3.31639
(Tasxe IV.
001
.002
002
.003
004
005
-006
009
O11
012
O13
.028
026
> O09. m3 Or Os Eee. MRS er her eee eS we e
Che Osim & Oo is
Thermometer | Barometer.
017
025
wird
10
An Eveventn Memoir on the Law of Storms in India, being the
Stroms in the Bay of Bengal and Southern Indian Ocean, from 26th
November to 2d December, 1843. By Henry Pippineaton ; with
a Chart.
In this memoir, for much of the material of which I am as usual
indebted to the zealous exertions of Capt. Biden, Master Attendant of
Madras, we have the advantage of tracing at the same time storms
raging on the North and South sides of the Equator, of having a re-
gister of the weather almost wpon the Equator while the storms were
blowing on both sides, and finally of tracing with abundant data in the
dangerous ‘‘ Storm track” (as I have called it in another publication,)*
extending from 5° to 15’ South and from 75° to 90’ E. a most severe hur-
ricane, and this investigation has moreover developed a new feature in
these storms, viz. that there are some which are comparatively station-
ary! having but an exceedingly slow progressive motion ; and should
this be found by future research to prevail frequently, it will be of im-
portance both in our theoretical and practical views of storms. It will
be found in the postcript to the Memoir that after this was sent to the
press I obtained from the Mauritius, the details of a storm there, in
which a vessel, the Charles Heddle, was fully proving for us by what
I may call a beautiful experiment, the truth of our researches here!
I have as usual first given the documents carefully abridged, then a
Tabular view of them for each hemisphere, a summary of the grounds
from which the positions of the centres of the storms on different days
are developed, and finally a few remarks on the whole.
Copy of Report kept at the Master Attendant’s Ofice Madras, from
Captain BipEN.
Barometer.
8a.m. 4pP.mM. 10P.M,
30th November 1843.—6 a. m. North West wind, North
current strong and high surf. 7 a. mM. North West
wind, current very strong, high, and irregular surf, .. 30.012 29.925 29.997
lst December 1843.—6. a. m. North West wind, North
current, strong, high and irregular surf no boats or Cat-
tamarans could cross the surf. Rain, .. ve ee 29.984 29.877 29,953
* Horn Book of Storms p.—.
1845.] Eleventh Memotr on the Law of Storms in India. 1]
Barometer.
8aeM. 4P.M. 10 P.M.
2¢ December 1843.—6 a. m. North West wind, Northcur-
rent, strong irregular and high surf, cloudy, .. es 29.944 29.861 29.916
Ditto.—5-30, p. m. North wind, North current, strong and
very high surf, no boats or Cattamarans could cross the
surf. Raining, ee ee ee oe ee oe
3d December 1843.—4-55, 1. m. North East wind, North
current and high surf; cloudy weather, .. +» +2 29.956 29.893 29.986
Ditio.—3-15, p. M. South East wind, South current, high
surf and rain,.. ee se we oe as se
Ditto.—6 p. m. South East wind, South current and rain,
4th December 1843.—5 a.m. East wind, South current,
high and irregular surf; drizzling rain, .. oe -- 30.008 29.912 29.988
Ditto.—10-30, a. m. East wind, South current strong, and
moderate surf, At oo ae oe ir 50
(Signed) Crarces BipEn.
Abridged Log of the Ship Vernon, Captain J. GimBiert, from
Madras to Calcutta, reduced to civil time.
The Vernon left Madras roads, on the 30th November 1843, at
7. P.M. and stood to the East, with a fresh monsoon from N.N.E.
till midnight.
lst December.—a. m. strong breeze N. N.E. till noon when Lat.
12° 5’ N., Long. Chro. 83° 29’, E., Bar. 29.68, Symp. 29.52:,
Pp. m. fresh gales to midnight with the wind veering at 9 Pp. M.
to N. E. and at midnight to E.N.E.
2d December.—a. m. heavy squalls; at 2 wind shifted to E.S. E.
with confused sea and much lightning, Bar. 29.54. 9 a. m. wind E. by
S. moderating a little ; noon squally and heavy sea Lat. D. R. 11° 48’
N. Long. D. R. 83° 38', Bar. 29.69., Symp. 29.54. Ther. 81°
p. M. strong gale Easterly, moderating to fine, at 7 Pp. m. when wind at
E.N. E.
:
Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. [No. 157.
12
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“CAUAINIM Aeyg ‘aaa Ay *7d05
fg *sajvb snorana ayy sazfo pun buranp sv yam so burpooasd hyayorpawun ‘sayjna yy ayy fo 2704s pun spuryy ay? fo UuntIaLG pun
aa40f ay yim sayjoboy af aby suoopy ‘uoon yo fvp hasaa saj0m pup aM 20g ‘uajzamowsayy ay? fo 29028 ‘apnquhuo) pun
apnqyo] Ypm snipannyy ay) spnmoz nyynojIvQ wWoLf abussog v burinp paasasqo so 4ayzvag4 ay} fo aj0jS ay, fo wnpuDsowapy anjngqv 7,
1845.|] Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 13
Report of the Barque Niagara Capt. W. Cuampion, forwarded by
Captain BIDEN.
Friday \st December 1843.—Lat. 10° N., Long. 87° E., expe-
rienced a hard gale from S. W.to E.S.E. with a tremendous high
sea on; lost sails and sustained other damage, strong gales from East-
ward on Saturday the 2d. On approaching the coast, found the
weather more moderate and a smoother sea; during the above days
it rained incessantly, and the Bar. fell to 29.10, Ther. 78° 40’.
Abridged Log of the Ship Canpauan, Capt. W. Ripwery, from the
Mauritius bound to Calcutta ; reduced to civil time.
26th Nov. 1842.—Wind variable from N.N.E., N.b. E., and N.
' E.b.N., Course North 54° W. 94’, Lat. account 8° 19’ N., Long. 84°
38’ E., heavy squalls Bar. 29.80.
27th November.—To noon cloudy, wind N. E., strong wind till
midnight when N. E. b. E., Lat. noon 9° 5’ N., Long. 83° 50’, Sunset
heavy squalls, Bar. not marked.
28th November.—Strong Monsoon N. E. b. E. 2 a. mM. veering to
Northward 1] a. m. Violent squall ; noon heavy weather, Lat. account
9° 15’ N., Long. E. 83° 45’, heavy squalls and strong monsoon till
midnight. Bar. 29.70.
29th November.—Heavy breeze N.b. E. with squalls, noon every
appearance of a storm, Lat. 9° 26’ N., Long. 83° 48’ E. 4 P. m. rapidly
increasing. At 6 wind North; laid to, heavy squalls and rain, Bar.
29.7.
30th November.—Heavy gales, and tremendous squalls. Wind
la.m. N.W.byN. Lat. 9° 40’, North, Long. 83° 57’ E. 11 a. m.
terrific squall of wind and rain. Bar. 29.50. p. m. heavy gale N. W.
to midnight.
lst December.—a. m. heavy gale N.W. with terrific squalls. At
2 a.m. wind N. b. E. 8a. m. N. W. b. W. Noon, to3 P.M. very
little wind, Lat. 10° 32’ North, Long. 84° 3’ E. At 3 p.m. wind
shifted toS. W., Bar. fell to 29.40., 5 p.m. shifted again to N. W.,
9 p. M. set fore-sail ; at 10 wind veered again to S. W., midnight, gale
appearing steady, shook out close reefs, steering North. |
14 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. (No. 157.
N. B.—From 11 a. m. to midnight steering North 4’ per hour. At
1) and 12, 44 per hour.
2nd December.—l a. m. gale suddenly increased to a most violent
storm S. W., hove to under try-sails; 4 a. mu. South. 5 to 6 raging with
increased fury, Bar. 29.40, 8 a. m. more moderate, bore up steer-
ing North 6 miles. At 10 wind South. Noon Lat. account 11° 10’
North, Long, 84° 04’ E., Bar. a. m. 29.60,2 Pp. m, steering N.N. W.
wind §.S.E. at 4 N. W. by N, wind 8. E. 11 p. m. passed a ship, steer-
ing to the S. W. midnight. Bar. 29.80.
37d December.—a. m. Strong breeze S. E. day-light steady, noon
Lat. Obs. 12° 31’, Long. 84° 7’, fine weather.
Abridged Log of the Ship FazzutBarry, Capt. H. Hanpvey from
Bombay bound to Calcutta, reduced to civil time.
27th November. 1843.—At noon moderate breeze from E.S. E. but
threatening looking weather to the Eastward. Lat. 5° 38’ N., Long.
Chr. 88° 40’, Bar. 29.72, and falling, Ther. 82°. For the last two days,
current 110 miles to the Westward. Remark by Capt. Handley, at
the beginning of this log. ‘‘ Observed many thick white clouds densely
packed to the Eastward which I have always found to precede an
Easterly gale.”
p. M. Strong breezes Easterly (and at 8 p. m. E. N. E.) dark cloudy
weather and very threatening appearance to the Eastward with
heavy N.E. sea on, increasing to a strong gale with dark threatening
weather and heavy sea; Bar. 29.65.
28th November.—6 a. m. Wind N.E. Noon strong gale with
dark threatening weather to the N. E. making all preparation for a
gale. Lat. 7° 22’ N., Long. Chro. 88.10., Bar. 29.54, Ther. 81.0. p. m.
Wind E. N. E. heavy gale with thick dark weather. 3h.30 P. m. saw
the “ John Brightman,” steering to the Southward. Midnight gale
increasing, Bar. 29.45.
29th November.—a. m. gale blowing most furiously, saw a ship
running to the Southward. 10 wind N. E. b. E. marked at noon N. E.
Bar. 29.14, Ther. 83° No observation, Long. 87° 20’. p. m. furious
gale N.N. E. Bar. 29.40. At 11.30 ship in distress and Arab crew
ee
Se
Se Ae Se ee oY ey ee De Oe, ee Be ee
1845.] Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 15
alarmed. Wind at North, bore up at midnight running S. E. and at
3 a.m. on 30th. S.S. E.
30th November.—Running to the S.S.E. 63 knots. 3 a.m. gale
at the greatest fury “‘ blowing so hard that it was scarcely possible to
hold on;” at 8, a little more moderate; noon moderating fast, but
Barometer running low 29.40, Ther. 82°, Lat. indifferent Obs.
97° 22' N., Long. 87° 35’ E., having since midnight made 74
miles to the S. S. E. and South. 8 p. m. wind N. N. E., course S. E.
5’ per hour; winds marked as variable N. N. E.to S. W. at 7 p. m.
when (from 5 p. m. ship had only been going 1.4 knots) remarks are “‘ va-
riable dark cloudy weather and a high cross sea; easterly gale
broken, but Barometer very low, 29.31. At 7 Pp. m. ‘‘a heavy Westerly
sea rolling up and overpowering the Easterly sea’ run from Noon to
8 p. m. S. E. 32 miles: a brig in sight. At 8 p. m. dark gloomy
weather with packed masses of clouds to the S. W., vivid lightning. Ves-
sel steering N. E. 23 miles, from 8 to midnight, when a strong breeze
from the S. W. and the S. Westerly sea very high, dark threatening
weather, vessel running 8 knots to the N. E.
Ist December.—a. m. Increasing gale; at 4 a. m. violent and severe
gale S.S. W. if possible worse than before. 7, tremendous S. S. W.
gale, Bar. 29.30 to 9 a.m. when Bar. on the rise; at 10 a.m. Bar.
29. 45 gale moderating; at 11, 29.55 strong gales from South ; Lat.
indifferent obs. 9° 55’ N. Long. 88° 00’ E., Bar. 29.65., Ther.
82., p. m. Wind S.S. W., course N. E. 93 knots, and run 107 miles ; to
midnight strong gale; 3 ep. m. Bar. 29.75. 10”. m. 29.80. Wind
South, midnight moderating and sky clearing.
2d December.—Midnight to noon N. E. 51} miles N. E. b. N.
493 miles. a.m. Wind S. S. E.64.m.S. E. ll a.m. E.S.E. At
noon fine weather ; Lat, 11° 17’ N., Long. 89° 45’, Bar. 29.90, Ther.
$3°. :
Sees
Madras. The CotoneL BuRNEY.
The barque Colonel Burney, from Moulmein to Bombay passed by
Galle on the 10th instant, under jury masts, having lost her main and
mizen masts in a heavy gale on the Ist, in Lat. 6° 50’ N., Long.
85° 20' E.— Record, Dec. 30.
16 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. [.No. 157.
Extract of a letter from Capt. Duruam, of the Barque Cou. BURNEY
to his owners dated, 28th December, 1843.
Messrs. APCAR AND Co.
Dear Srrs,—I beg to report the arrival of the Col. Burney here
yesterday, after a passage of 33 days from Rangoon. I have lost main
and mizen-masts by the deck during a heavy gale in Lat. 6° N.,
Long. 85° E., the vessel was thrown on her beam-ends; to save ship
and cargo I cut away my masts, when she righted with 7 feet water
in the hold. Your obedient servant,
(Signed,) R. B. Duran.
Report from Kayts, Ceylon, forwarded by Capt. BipEn.
My Dear Captain BipEN.—You will no doubt have heard of the
gale we have lately experienced down here ; and as it was evidently
one of the rotatory description I send you an account of it, supposing
that any information on this subject will be interesting. It appears to
have travelled in a W. S. Westerly direction, the Southern portion of
the circle passing over Kayts, Delft island and Paumbum: At Manar,
although the weather had a wild appearance, it was not felt at all. I
was myself at Paumbum at the time, where I noted the changes closely ;
but at the other places, the variations may not be so correct : still they
are sufficiently so to trace the track of the gale. To begin then with
my windward station, Kayts.
It commenced here from the N. W. about noon on the Ist; increas-
ing in violence till 6 Pp. m. of the 2d, between which and midnight
it blew with great fury, accompanied by a very heavy fall of rain.
On the morning of the 3d it shifted to W. S. W. strong, and by noon
moderated at South.
At Delft island on the Ist the wind which had been moderate all
day at N. W. freshened towards evening from the same quarter, and
gradually veered round to between W. N. W. and W. byS ; at which by
6 a m. on the 2d it was blowing a heavy gale. This continued all that
day and night till 11.30 a.m. on the 38d when the wind suddenly
ee Se ae ee eee ae
1845.] Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 17
chopped round to S. by W. and moderated by daylight ; next
morning the wind was from S. S. E. and eventually settled at S. E.
At Paumbum.
Ist a. m. Wind fresh at N. W.
p. mM. More moderate at N.E, ; freshening during the night but fine.
2d. a. M. 6 Moderate N. N. W. very cloudy.
10 Freshening and veering to the Westward ; Ther 72° ; lower than it
has ever been before during the last 4 years; noon very fresh at N. W.
with confused appearance, scud flying fast and low from North, 3 Pp. m.
fresh, W. by S.
6. Ditto W. S. W. Scud still flying from North, but not so fast ;
heavy bank of rain to N. E. but without any appearance of wind from
that quarter.
9. Increasing at W.S. W. Midnight, hard gales at W. S. W. with
very heavy rain.
3d. a.m.6, Sky a perfect lead colour, gale and rain continuing from
same quarter till 3 a.m. when it moderated and p.m. veered to S.S. W.
and South ; scud now flying to N. E.
6. Strong breezes from S. W. to S.S. E. the wind not remain-
ing steady for two consecutive minutes, still thick and hazy with
rain.
4th a. m. Fresh South to S.S. E. and hazy.
You will find it easy with these dates to trace the progress of the
whirlwind from Kayts to Paumbum, and if it continue in the same
course it must coast along the shore of Madura and part of Tinnevelly,
going to sea again from the Malabar coast at a little to the North of
Cape Comorin ; leaving Colombo untouched ; a matter to be rejoiced at,
as the craft there at this fine season would hardly have been prepared
for a blow from any point South of West.
My vessel had a very narrow escape, having parted and drifted to
within 80 yards of a reef. She lost bowsprit, rudder and boats, had
her stern stove in and was otherwise much injured ; but fortunately
the wind coming round enabled her to get a start off and run round to
leeward of the island where I picked her up a sad plight. We are
repairing her now and I hope to be at sea again by the end of the
week,
(Signed) J. J. FRANKLIN.
at '
18 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. [No. 157.
BarqueCarena from Ceylon towards Madras, reduced to Civil time.
A long detailed extract of this vessel’s log was kindly sent me by
Capt. Biden, and it would have been highly interesting from her posi-
tion between 5° and 13° North Lat., had any Long. accompanied it, but
unfortunately there was none. And weare thus reduced to the necessity
of saying only that she had,
On the 25th November.—Winds E.to N. W. in Lat. at Noon 4°
58' N.
26th November.—Winds Northerly in 5° 43’ N., strong breezes and
cloudy.
27th November.—Bar. 28.80., (by Capt. Biden’s correction, 29.50.,)
No observations, winds apparently N. E. to N. N. E.
28th November.—Wind N. E. by E. to N. N. W. No observations,
weather hazy and much rain.
29th November.—N. W. to N. N. E. and again W.N, W.; light
winds, cloudy and squally.
30th November.—N. N. W. Westerly and 8.S.W. winds. Lat.
6° 57' North.
Ist December.—Lat. 9° 51'N. winds Southerly increasing at 4 Pp. m.
to astrong gale obliging the vessel to scud under a reefed fore-sail.
2d. December.—Moderating, Lat. 12° 17' N. p.m. S. E. wind.
Abridged Log of theBrig Birrern, Captain G. Scort, from the
Mauritius to Madras, forwarded by Capt. B1pEN.*
28th November 1843.—1 p.m. Wind W.S.W. fresh breeze and
cloudy ; 7, Bar. 29.50 ; at 10 p. m., hard squalls,
291h November.—11 wind S. W. first part strong breezes, middle
and latter parts fresh gale, with squally weather and rain. 9 a.m.
Bar. 29.35. Noon, fresh gale and cloudy, Lat. Obs. 5°33’ N.
l p.m. wind S. W. fresh gale and squally; at 4 Bar. 29.24; at 3
wind S. S. W.; at 5 South more moderate but threatening in appear-
ance, made preparation for bad weather ; 10 wind S.S.E., 12 squally
with small rain. j
* With this log also no Longitudes are given.
1845.] Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 19
30th November.—At 3 a. m. wind East ; at 5, wind E. N. E. squally ;
at 7 Bar. 29.34; noon, fresh gale and cloudy, Lat. Obs. 8° 23’ N.
1 p m. wind E. N. E. fresh gale and cloudy, at 3 wind N. E.by E.
at 5 Bar. 29.30, 8 Bar. 29.40. Hard squalls with small rain; 11
wind E.N.E. fresh gale throughout with frequent hard squalls and
small] rain; under storm trysails.
lst December.—3 a.m. furled the fore topsail, 5 Bar. 29.30, 7 more
moderate, 10 wind East, Bar. 29.24. Noon, fresh gale and cloudy,
Lat. Obs. 9° 49’ N.
] p.m. wind S.E. fresh gale with hard squalls, 5 wind South, 8 hard
squalls with small rain, 6 Bar. 29.35, fresh gale throughout with fre-
quent hard squalls and small rain. Midnight Bar. 29.49.
2d December.—2 a.m., wind S.8. E. very hard squalls with smail
rain, 4 Bar. 29.60, 5 more moderate, 11 wind S. E., noon more mo-
derate, Bar. 29.60. Lat. Obs. 11° 21’ N. after which fine weather.
Report from the Barque Mary Imric, Captain Boyp, forwarded by
Captain BipEN.
30th November, 1843.— Blowing a strong breeze from N. N.E.
all possible sail set, daylight the weather became very cloudy, heavy
dark masses rising in the North and passing over with increasing
velocity to the Southward. Noon, weather dismally dark, with a very
suspicious appearance, sun obscured, Lat. by account 12° 20’ North,
P. M., the sea rising and the breeze increasing fast, took in all small
sails and sent down royal and top-gallant yards, and elose reefed the top-
sails, indeed at this time I would have been induced to lay the
vessel to, the appearance of the weather was so bad ; as well as being
under the impression, that the farther you run into a storm the more
likely you are to suffer from its effects* had the Barometer not kept
well up; at daylight it stood at, Pt 30 03
At noon it rose to, .. os 30 Il
2 p. m. down to, Aye wie 29 83
where it continued till midnight, at which time it blew a terrific gale
with a heavy cross sea, wind steady at N. N. E. and scudding under
* This is the old axiom. It depends of course on which side of a storm circle the
ship is, to be correct. A ship should certainly never run into a storm, but she may
as certainly often run out of it.—H. P.
20 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. [No. 157.
two close reefed top-sails ; I may here add that I never saw the mercury
fluctuate so much, although it never fell lower than 29. 60.*
Ist December.—From midnight till daylight, the gale continued with
unabated force, with frequent hard squalls and heavy rain, and a
dreadful sea running, that washed away nearly all the bulwarks,
and drowned nearly the whole of the live stock. The sea was un-
commonly cross, and evidently produced from other causes, besides the
gale we were then in, and had we not taken the precaution to get every
thing well secured on deck, as well as made secure aloft, the conse-
quences might have been serious ; towards noon the weather cleared
away so far as to enable me to measure the sun’s altitude, which placed
us in 10° 4 N. Long. 84° |’ E. p.m. the gale continued
with very unsettled weather, wind veering round to the Westward,
Bar. 29.60; towards midnight weather tolerably clear overhead,
but a dense wild looking haze all round the horizon, Bar. 29.25.
2nd December.—The wind continued to veer tothe Westward till
2 a.m. when it fell nearly calm, the weather then looking dismal
with continued flashes of vivid lightning and loud peals of thunder, got
all the canvas secured as fast as possible, which we had just time to
do when the gale burst out from about S.5. W. Fortunately we were
prepared for it, and had nothing set but a new small close reefed main-
top sail, which we lay to under till noon, Bar. stationary at
29.25. It is impossible for me to describe the sea that we had to contend
with. It had been blowing a gale (and no ordinary one,) from N.N. E.
round to S. S. W. for the last three days, and every way we looked a
mountain of water appeared coming towards us. Shortly after noon
the Bar. started up to 29.80, but the gale continued without any
abatement till midnight.
3rd December.—The gale began gradually to abate and the Sea to
fall ; Barometer at daylight up to 29.90.
Abridged Log of the Ship Fyzut CurreEm, Captain J. BALLANTINE,
SJrom Calcutta towards the Mauritius, reduced to civil time.
26th November, 1843.—Noon, fine breeze N. and cloudy, Lat.
7° 50’ N. Long. 83° 59’ E., course South, 7 knots per hour. Pp. m. and
to midnight squally. Wind steady at North and N. by E.
* These fluctuations are highly interesting particularly when limits are given.—H. P.
Sipe Ej
ne et ee
Pe yor ay
ls
a
1845.] Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 21
27th November.—a.m.to9; Wind about North; 10 to Noon N.N.W.
squally ; noon Lat. 5° 11’ N. Long. 83° 36’ E., 9 p. m. heavy squalls,
wind and rain from N.N. W. to midnight.
_ 28th November—a. M. to noon, fresh breeze, &c. tolerably clear ;
wind varying N.N. W. to N. W. bDN., 8.30 a. m. an English bark
standing to the Northward and Eastward. Noon Lat. 2° 6' N. Long.
83° 403 E.; by 8 p.m. increasing to fresh gale W.DbS. ; to midnight
course South, 8 knots throughout.
29th November.—a.m. fresh gale West increasing with heavy
squalls to a strong gale and sea by noon, when Lat. 00° 54’ S., Long.
84° 301’ E., Current of about 24 miles to the Eastward. p. m. Gale
continuing and increasing at times, to midnight, wind strong at West
and course South 7 and 8 per hour.
30th November.—8 a. M. more moderate, noon fresh gales. Wind
steady at West throughout. Lat. account 3° 50’ S., Long. 85° 27’
E. Current of 21 to the Eastward. p.m. more moderate and clear,
wind West; and at 7 p.m. W.2S., midnight moderate and clear, a
strong sea from the W.S. W.
lst December.—a. M. a little squally ; by 10 a. mw. windat N. N. W.
light 3 knot breeze; noon fine, Lat. 5° 39’ S. Long. 85° 371’ E. Current
and sea estimated by Captain Ballantine at 29’ to the E. N.E. a
strong sea from the W.S. W. p.m. winds N.N.W.,and at 9 N. W.
and fine to midnight.
2d December—a. M. to noon, light N. N. E. winds with a heavy head
sea. (Ship steering S. W. by S.) Lat. 6° 41’ S. Long. 85°002’ E. no
current, but the sea has retarded the ship’s progress 10 miles.
=
| Mavritius Sup News from the Englishman.
We are indebted to Captain Renaut of the Ship Active, for the
following details respecting the hurricane which he experienced on the
30th November. On the 24th November, the weather was very tem-
pestuous, blowing from the S. W. and veering round to the N. W.
then N. E. and finally settled at E. on the 30th, and blew a perfect
hurricane for 48 hours in Lat. 10° 23'S. and Long. 85° 17’ E. The gale
abated on the 2nd December in Lat. 13° 58' S. and Long. 13° 31’ E.
The Ship sustained the loss of a few sails and a quarter boat ; but for-
tunately none of the coolie passengers on board sustained any injury.
\ Name, it
22 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. [No. 157.
The Bark Ward, Chapman, from Bombay, reports having experienced
a hurricane in Lat. 12° 30’ S. and Long. 84° 30’ E. commencing on
the 30th November from S. W. and blowing right round the compass.
It abated however on the 3rd December, Lat. 14° S. and Long.
79° 30' E;; she lost a few sails. |
Abridged Log of the Barque Fuowers or Uair, Capiain ANNAND,
from Madras to the Mauritius, reduced to civil time.
24th November, 1843.—The Log worked back from 25th, gives for
this day, Lat. 4°57’, Long. 84° 33’ E. with light Southerly and S. S.
W. airs and breezes, from noon to midnight.
25th November.—a. Mm. heavy squalls and rain, wind S. and S.b
W. to noon when strong gale about S.S. W. Lat. 5°36’ S. Long. 85°
27' E., Bar. 29.80, Ther. 81° high cross sea. p.m. to midnight strong
gale S. W. by S. with squalls and rain; preparing for bad weather.
Midnight Bar. 29.68.
26th November.—To Noon gale increasing from S. W. Lat. 6° 5’ S.
Long. 86° 21’ E., Bar. 29.62, Ther. 81°. p. m. increasing and S. W. b.
W. 6p. m. hove to under bare poles. Heavy sea running, midnight
the same.
27th November.—4 a. M. weather a little clearer, noon heavy gales
Lat. 6° 20'S. Long. 88° 4’ E., Bar. 29.57, Ther. 83°. Easterly current
_ of 60’ since noon of the 26th. p.m. wind W. N. W. At10N. W. to
midnight.
28h November.—4 a. M. wind hauling to the North, being N. N, W..,
at 2 a. m., when the ship bore up and ran 27’ to the S. W. by S. when
hove to again, having sprung the fore-topmast in rolling. Noon wind
about N.N. W. Lat. Obs. 7°41’ S. Long, 88° 49’ E., Bar. 29.63. Ther.
84°. p.m. wind North. Strong gales and heavy sea to midnight.
29th November.—a. M. apparently moderating, noon strong gales
Lat. 8° 46’ S., Long. 87° 40’ E., Bar. 29.67, Ther. 83°. 10 a. m.
bore up and steered S. W.bS., p.m. strong gale N. N. E. Ship
running to the S. W. b.S. to midnight. Bar. at 4 p. m. 29:66 and
wind at 10 p.m. N. E., midnight strong gales and Bar. 29.69.
30th November.—At 8 a.m. wind N.E.bE., strong gale heavy
squalls, turbulent sea, and Bar. falling, 9 a. m. hove to again, hav-
1845.] Hleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 23
ing since 10 a. m. on the 29th, ran 158 miles to the S. W. b. S.,
noon heavy gale, Lat, 10° 52’ S., Long. 86° 24’ E. Bar. 29.59. Ther.
83°. p.m. wind N.E. Strong gales, heavy squalls and a dark cloudy
appearance all round in the sky. 2 p.m. Bar. 29.58. At 10 p. m.
Bar. 29.53. Gale very heavy; at midnight Bar. 29.49.
lst December.—2 a. m. wind E.N.E. 8 a.m. abating a little,
10:30 bore up again to S.W. Noon strong gales Lat. 11° 2'S.,
Long. 86° 6’., Bar. 29.50, Ther. 84°. p.m. Wind N. E. bE., 4 Pp. Mm.
Bar. rising, midnight strong gales and heavy squalls, ship running to
the S. W.
Qnd December.—4 a. M. to noon moderating; 10 a.m. Wind N.E.
Ship steering to S. W. Noon clearing away, Lat. 13° 20' S. Long.
83° 49’ East. Bar. 29.83, Ther. 86°. Pp. m. fine E. N. E. breeze to
midnight.
3rd December.—Noon fine, lat. 14° 22’ S. Long. 81° 15’ E., Bar.
29.87, Ther. 85°.
Abridged Log of the Ship Joan FuEmine, Capt. CuerK, from Calcutta
bound to Mauritius, reduced to civil time. N. B. Some additions
made from a letter of Capt. CLERK’s forwarded by Captain BipEN.
21st November 1843.—The weather, from calm and cloudy with
light airs on the 20th and 2lst, isat 5p. m.on the 2Ist marked as
“‘ heavy cloudy weather in the North West.”
22d November.—At 5 a. m. the wind became steady at W.S.
W. At noon fine and cloudy, Lat. 00° 30' North, Long. 82° 29’ E.
P.M. to midnight wind about S. W. ship running to S. E. and S. b
E. 7 and 8 knots.
23d November.—a. m. squally; at 8 a. m. wind West, 8 knot
breeze, course South. Noon strong breeze and cloudy, Lat. 2° 15'S.
Long. 83° 30’ E. Ther. 82°, Bar. 29.72. p.m. wind W.DN. and
at ) W.S. W., midnight heavy cloudy weather.
24th November.—a. m. increasing, noon under close reefs, strong
gale W.S. W.and thick weather with rain, Lat, 4° 47’, Long. 84° 30’
EK. p. m. to midnight wind W. bS. hard squalls, strong gale and
heavy sea. Course to the S. and S.S.E, 5 knots.
i
24 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. (No. 157.
25th November.—a. M. moderating a little, high head sea, noon
Lat. 5° 1’ S., Long. 85° 31’ E., Bar. 29.70., Ther. 78° p. m. wind
W.S. W. more moderate ; to midnight heavy head sea continues.
26th November.—a. Mm. to noon wind W. S. W. At noon every
appearance of a gale, Lat. 5° 58’ S. Long. 86° 24' E., p. m. wind
marked S. W. b. W. blowing very hard ; Bar. falling to 29.50, lying
to under storm staysails, head to the S., midnight blowing excessively
hard.
27th November. —a. M. Sea increasing ; at noon Lat. 6°26'S., Long.
87° 10', Bar. 29.50. Ther. 80°, p.m. Bar. 29.40, heavy gale (appa-
rently from N. W.or W. N. W.*) continues till midnight.
28th November.—a. mM. wind drawing to N. W. (ship coming up
to W. S.W.) Noon more moderate, Lat. 7° 7’ S. Long. 87° 24' E.,
Bar. 29.50, Ther. 80°. p. m. wind marked N.N. W. gale continuing ;
very irregular sea. At 8 p. m. wind had veered to N. E., ship running
S. W. b S. and S. W. 98 miles from ]1 a.m. to midnight when strong
gale.
29th November.—a. Mm. Increasing to a hurricane about N.E.;
noon Bar. 29.00, Ther. 79°, Sympiesometer 28.9, ship on her beam
ends. Lat. 8° 47’, Long. 86° 20’. p. m. Hurricane between North and
East, head to N. N. W., Bar. broke ; oil disappeared in the Simp.
At midnight ship buried in the sea and half swamped.
30th November.—a. m. Cut away the top masts which relieved her
a little ; boats blown into the rigging and over the poop, at 4 blowing
a hurricane still between North and East.
lst December.—To noon still blowing a heavy gale ; Sympiesometer
28.4. at noon, oil having re-appeared; at 5 a. mM. set a storm stay-
sail, moderating to midnight.
2d December.—To noon moderating, wind not marked, Lat. obs.
14° 5’ Long. 79° 29'; 7 pv. m. wind marked N. E. At midnight fine.
* Nothing is marked in the Log, but it is clearthat the wind must have been to
the Northward of West, at least since midnight, by the Lat. for lying to under
storm staysail, with a gale from 3S. W.b W. the ship must have been making nor-
thing at least from noon to nearly midnight, when if we suppose the gale to have
drawn to the Northward of West she may in the 12 hours to noon of the 27th
have drifted back and made the most part of the 41 miles of Lat. which appear
on the log to noon of the 28th; for it was only one hour before that time that she
bore up.
1845. | Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 25
Abridged Log of the Barque Eu1zaBeTu AINSLIE, Captain T. Lys-
TER, from Madras to the Mauritius, reduced to Civil time.
23rd. November, 1843.—Noon, Lat. Obs. 3° 5’ S. Long. 84° 3’ Bar
29.80. Ther. 82°. During the preceding 24h had run 5 to 7 knots
to the S. b. E. with winds varying from to S. W. b. W., wind
W. b. S. to 8 a. m. when W. to noon, fresh breeze and latterly
squally. p.m. the wind W. to midnight.
24th November.—Wind W. b. S. to 8 a. mM. and W. to noon, when
Lat. 5° 10'S., Long. 84° 25’ E., Bar. 29.78. Ther. 79°. p.m. fresh
breeze and squally wind W. to midnight.
25th. November.—To 5 a.m. Wind S. W. and to noon, S. S. W.
and high swell from the Southward, Lat. Obs. 5° 41’ S. Long. 85° 50’
E. Bar. 29.78. Ther. 80° p. m. fresh gale increasing from S. W. b. S.
and S. W., at 1l p.m. W. S. W. |
26th November.—a.m. fresh gale W. S. W. to noon, and high sea
from the Southward ; noon Lat. 6° 26’ S. Long. 86° 53.’ E. pv. m.
hard gales and heavy squalls W. S. W. hove to till midnight head
N. N. W. when more moderate.
27th. November.—Made sail to the Southward, and to noon ran
62 miles to the S. b. W. Windsl a.m. W.N. W.; 74 wm. W. b.N.:
‘at 10, W. N. W. fresh gales and cloudy with drizzling rain and high
sea; noon Lat. Obs. 6° 27'S. Long. account 87° 22’ E. Bar. 29.60.
Ther. 80°. 1 v.m. wind N. W., 6p.m.N.N. W. 10. m. North;
midnight N. N. E.
28th November.—3 a.m. Hard gale from N. E. with heavy squalls ;
4, hove to under close reefed main-top-sail, Bar. 29. 80; noon tremen-
dous sea, Lat. acct. 8° 21’ S. Long. 87° 02’ E. Bar. 29.5. Ther.
80°. To5 p.m. wind E.N. E.; 6 p.m. East. At 5 p.m. Main-top-
sail blown to pieces and ship labouring greatly, set the reefed fore-sail
and kept the ship before the wind. At 6 p. m. fore-sail blown out of
the bolt ropes, broached to with head to the N. N. W. midnight,
gale blowing with great violence, and tremendous high sea.
29th November.—5 a.m. A sudden lull and high confused sea. 7 a. mM.
commenced blowing from the North; noon, heavy thick cloudy weather
all round, with a high confused sea, hard puffs and lulls at times, Bar.
29.00, Ther. 77°. At 1 v.m. wind S. E.; at6, to8, North; at 9,N.N.
W.; at 12, North, heavy puffs, and lulls with a high sea. Bar. 29.00.
E
26 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. [No. 157.
30th November.—Wind North to noon, at 2 a.m. Bar. 28.90. At
4, Bar. 28.80.; at day-light blowing very hard with tremendous gusts
at times. Noon, Bar. 28.80, Ther..78° ; lying to with ship’s head to °
the West. p.m. commenced a perfect hurricane, ship on her beam
ends, and expecting masts to go at every moment, every thing ready
to cut away. 4 p. m. Bar. 28.90.;6 Pp. m. still blowing violently.
7, wind North, the furled main-sail blown from the gaskets. 8,
Bar. 28.90, wind N. N. E. Midnight, weather the same, Bar. 29.00.
lying to, head West to W. N. W.
Ist December.—Daylight inclined to moderate, wind from N. N. E.,
to noon Bar. 29.10, head N. W.; noon, heavy puffs and lulls with
thick cloudy weather, and much rain, Bar. 29.20. Ther. 78°. At 6
p o. Bar. 29.30. At8 p.m. Bar. 29.35., midnight 29.45. p.m. wind
N-SH:
2d December.—6 a. Mm. Bar. 29.50., noon 29.70. making sail ; Lat.
}2° 34’ S, Long. 81° 55’ E., pleasant breeze N. E.; 4P?.m. E.N.E,
9 p.m.N. E.
3d December.—Noon, Lat. 14°. 6'S. Long. 80°. 53’ E. Fine weather.
Abridged Log of the Ship Epmonsrone, Capt. MacDouaau, from
Calcutta bound to Mauritius, reduced to Civil time.
25th November.—At noon in Lat. 6° 15'S. Long. 82° 30’ E., p.m.
Winds variable from the S. W. to S.S. E.; to midnight, light breezes
and cloudy.
26th November.— Steady light breeze to noon from S. S. W., no ob-
servation, Lat. account 6° 42'S. Long. account 83° 06’ E. p.m. to
midnight, winds S.S. W. to South, brisk breeze.
27th November.—a. M. strong breeze about South, with hard squalls
and turbulent sea. Lat. Obs. 6° 58'S. Long. 83° 36’ E., Pp. m. va-
riable strong breezes from the Southward with hard squalls. Mid-
night ‘ strong gale.”
28th November.— a.m. strong gale and mountainous sea. Wind
about S. S. W. Noon, Lat. Obs. 6° 50’ S. Long. 84° 04’ E. p. m. wind
S. W.; gale increasing to midnight.
29th November.—2 a. m. wind W.S. W. severe gale; 9. a. m. hove
to under reefed try-sail, wind West, no observation; Lat. account
7° 12' S, Long. 85° 02’ E. v. u. “ violent gale W. b. S.,” heavy cross sea.
1845. ] Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. v7
8 p. m. “ wind hauled to W. N. W. and moderated, Bar. rising ; 10 Pp. m.
W. N. W. made sail and stood to the S.S. E. 9’ till midnight.
30th November.—3 a.m. wind N.W.; at 6, N.N. W. Daylight,
gale increasing, and Bar. falling; to noon, severe gale N. N. W. with
furious gusts, Lat. account 9° 3’ S. Long. account 85° 4’. E.; 9 p. m. wind
N. N. W. severe gale and high cross sea ; at 8, wind N. b. E. to mid-
night, when Bar. rising a little.
lst December.—By 9 a. M. strong gales N. E., tonoon Lat. by account
11° 15'S. Long. account 84° 22’ EK. p. m. the same, wind N. E.to mid-
night ; carried away chain plates and hove to; midnight more moderate.
2d December.—a. M. moderating to noon; wind N. KE. to9 a.m.
and North to noon, when Lat. 12° 23’ S. Long. 84°30’ E. p.m. wind
N. E., moderate breeze and heavy cross sea.
3d December.—Noon, Lat. 13° 51’ S., heavy sea still continuing,
wind E. N. E. and fine.
Note.—Captain MacDougal informs me that during the storm, his
Bar. was at 29.38 and the Symp. at 29°28’ the lowest, the Ther.
steady at 72° throughout the gale.
The Lat. and Long. given, are partly from the chart, and partly
from account worked either forward or backward to the near-
est day of observation, Captain McDougal observes that having 220
emigrant coolies on board, he was obliged, during the height of the
storm, to steer various courses to obtain for them as much comfort and
safety as the weather would allow of, so that he can only give me
limits within which he thinks the vessel’s position must have been.
The log gives as nearly as can be ascertained, a current of 149 miles.
to the South and 116 miles to the West, but it is necessarily very
imperfect, and the set of the storm wave and current on one day was
doubtless counteracted, in some degree, by that on a different part of
the storm circle on another.
Abridged Log of the Barque Baxsoo, Captain Stuart, from Madras
to Mauritius, reduced to Civil time.
26th November, 1843.—At Noon, Lat. 6° 17’ S. Long. about 83°
40' E., wind S. W. b.S., ship steering to the S. E. b. S. 43 knots, squal-
ly and rain. Spoke the Tartar 7 days from Ceylon. Midnight, wind
8. S. W.
ee
—EeS wa
28 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. [No. 157.
27th. November—a. m. to Noon strong breeze and cloudy ; no Obs. ;
Pp. Mm. fresh gale $8. S. W., 6 ep. m. South, course E.S. E. Midnight
heavy squalls and rain.
28th. Nov.—a. m. Heavy squalls and rain continuing, wind from
S. to S. W., course S. E. to S. S. E. Noon Lat. 7° 8’ S. Long. 85° 10
E., heavy gales S. W. b. W. and sea. p. m. Wind W.S. W. at 6
and to midnight when strong gales and rain; course marked as S. b.
E. to S. b. W. In the Newspaper report Captain Stuart states this
to be the day on which the wind became very tempestuous.
29th. Nov.—a. m. Strong gales continuing W. S. W. and at 6 a. m.
this day, course S.S. W. Noon heavy gales throughout. Pp. Mm. increasing,
wind marked N. W. Course S. W. and at midnight S. b. W,
30th. Nov.—Daylight heavy squalls and rain N. W. Course S. W., 7
knots. Noon. Lat. 9° 2’ S. Long. 85° 9’ E. strong gale. Pp. m. wind
N. W. Midnight heavy squalls and rain.
lst December.—Wind N. W. to noon; course S. W. b. S. and S.
W. Lat. 11° 0'S. p.m. heavy gale N. N. W. Course, 72 knots to
S. W. and at 6 p.m. to W.S. W. Heavy gale and rain; midnight
increasing.
2d. December.—Wind and weather as before, course W.S. W. 72’;
Noon, no observation. p. m- wind marked Easterly, course W. b. S.
Heavy gale and squalls to midnight.
3d. December.—Wind Easterly, course W. b. S. 73 knots. Noon,
heavy gale, no observation. p. m. wind Easterly, course W. S. W.
6 p.m. wind N. E. Hovetoat8 p.m.
4th. December.—Mizen top-mast went, lost main-yard and sprung
main-mast, ship labouring as if in broken water on a reef. No obser-
vation. p. M. fresh gale and fine, wind E.N. E. lying to; midnight
moderate and fine.
5th. December.—6 a.m. bore up to the W. by S. Wind Easterly,
noon Lat. Obs. 18° 6’ S. Fine weather.
Abridged Log of the Ship Sopuia, Capt. ANprew, from Bombay
towards the Mauritius, civil time.
On the 22d November.—At noon the Sophia was in Lat. 4° 53’.
S. Long. 79° 54’ E. standing till midnight to the S.S. E. witha mo-
derate breeze from the S. Westward, squally weather.
1845.] Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 29.
_ 23d November.—Threatening dark weather and puffy, to noon,
when Lat. 5° 54’ S. Long. 80° 30’ E. p. m. to midnight, strong
breeze and cloudy ; ship standing to the E. S. E. and E., wind S. §$,
Westerly, throughout heavy head swell ; midnight more moderate.
24th November.—At 4: 30 a. m. a heavy squall and shift of wind
from S.S. E.to W. N. W. when a strong breeze and heavy head sea,
ship standing to the S. E.; noon Lat. account 6° 30’ S. Long. 81° 20’
E. p. m. wind S. W.b.S. ; midnight squally and calm.
25th November.—Throughout variable, squally and calm ; noon Lat.
Obs. 5° 50’ S. Long 81° 49’. E. Midnight moderate and squally
weather.
26th November.— Moderate S.S. W. breeze to noon, when Lat.
Obs. 6° 24’ S. Long. 82° 53’ E. 6 a. m. saw the bark Ward,
Chapman, from Bombay ; 8 Pp. m. wind S. fresh breeze and cloudy,
ship standing to the West and W. b. N.
27th November.—Wind South to noon. Standing S. E. b. E. to
8 a, mM. when W. b. N. for 2 hours and again S. E. b. E., strong
breezes and a heavy, S. E. swell; noon Lat. Obs. 6° 36’ S. Long.
not given ; P. M. to midnight hard squalls.
28th November.—Wind from S.b. E.toS.S.W. of variable
strength, and with thick weather, noon Lat. 6° 23’ S.Long. 81°
34 E. Pp. mM. increasing with a heavy head sea from the South-
ward from 3 p. m. to midnight, wind S. W. and S. W. b. W.
29th November.—Wind S.W.b.W. to S.S.W. to noon strong
breeze and high head sea. Lat. noon 6° 48’ S. Long. 82° 00' E.
P.M. increasing in puffs Westerly and W. N. W. “ very dirty ap-
pearance all round the horizon.”
30th November.—Wind N. W. throughout, a. Mm. increasing to a
gale with tremendous puffs at intervals ; daylight heavy gale ; noon hard
gale, no observation ; p. mM. heavy sea in all directions; ship lying to, ~
up S. W. off 8. S. W. | and 2 knots.
lst December.—a. m. heavy gales and a fearful sea running in
all directions, lying to under a close reefed main-top-sail and fore-
sail. 6 a. M. moderating a little. Wind marked N. W. throughout,
no observation; p. Mm. still moderating. Midnight heavy sea running
from the S. Westward; wind veering a little to the Northward
apparently.
30 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. [No, 157.
2d December.—a. mM. wind marked North, fresh breeze and cloudy
with cross sea; noon Lat. 9°56’S. and Long. 81.48’ E., wind and weather
the same to midnight.
3d December.—Wjnd marked N.N. E. to midnight, and fine wea-
ther ; noon Lat. 11° 7’ S. Long. 80°49° E.
Abridged Log of the Ship FurtuE Rozacx, Captain Runvue, from
Calcutta to Mauritius, civil time.
This very able, careful, and really scientific log, which reflects the highest credit
on Captain Rundle, was kindly placed at my disposal by him, being his private one.
Every nautical and scientific man will I am sure join with me in wishing we had many
such observers afloat, and access to their observations. I need not say that with the
necessary abridgment as to maneuvres and private matters, I have as nearly as possible
preserved Captain Rundle’s expressions.—H P.
On the 20th November, 1843.—The Futtle Rozack, at noon was
in Lat. 0°39’ N. Long. by 2. Chrs. 82° 30’ E. and Bar. 29.93.* Ther, 78°
Winds variable between W. S. W. and S. W. with light fine weather ;
at 8 p. m. a fresh breeze and squalls, sun-set very fiery, Bar. is
high. At midnight squalls less frequent, course S. a little Easterly.
21st November.—\ a. m. to 4, strong breeze smart squalls and
torrents of rain. Noon, pleasant weather, Lat. Obs. 1° 22'S. Long.
83° 10' E. Bar. 6a. m. 29.93. Ther. 79°; noon Bar. 29.93. Ther. 82°,
winds ,a.m. S. W. to W.N. W. and at times South. p. m. moderate
breeze and passing squalls; a long Southerly swell just perceptible,
clouds a. m spherical cumuli and nimbus. p.m. cumuli and dark
nimbi; wind p. m. West and W. N. W. andN. W. in the squalls; pv. m.
Bar. 5 p. m. 29.93. Ther. 80°, at 11 ve. m. Bar. 29.03. and Ther. 80°. At
9 p.m. Capt. R. remarks, “ I observed those modifications of lightning
more like the Aurora Borealis which I have seen in the North sea,
or rather more like the Aurora Australis which I have seen off Van-
Dieman’s Land and New Zealand. I have never seen it in low
Lats. but as a precursor of strong weather. It gradually lightens
up the western horizon with a sudden dark red glare, and thus flickers
about for a few seconds and gradually disappears. Bar. is still
high. The stars too have a very sickly appearance, and a peculiar
* As corrected by comparison with the Standard at Calcutta.—H.P.
1845. ] Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 3 |
dancing motion. I thought at first my eyes deceived me, but my
mates observed the same ; I suppose occasioned by some dense vapour.”
22d November.—a. mM. wind marked S.S. W. to West; course from
3 to 7 knots to the Southward. Squally, making preparations for
bad weather. Noon, Lat. Obs. 3° 18’ S. Long. Chr. 83° 22! E. Lunars
83° 10’ E. Current for the last 24 hours S. E. b. E. 26’. Clouds a.m.
cumulo stratus with flying nimbus, Bar. 1 a. m. 29.93. Ther. 79°; 6
a.m. 29°93! and 78°; noon 29° 88’ and 82°.
p.m. Squally, winds West to W. b. N. 4 p. m. seud flying swiftly
to the Southward, 8 p. m. observed many phosphoric flashes in the sea,
the luminous space from one flash as large as the cutter ; running 6 and
7 knots toS.b. W.; midnight fresh breeze. Bar. 9 p. m. 29.91, Ther.
80°; at 10 p.m. the same clouds Pp. M. at intervals lofty cirrhi, then again
obscured, a nimbus and light scud flying to the South above all.
23d November.—a.m.to noon, winds West to S. W. 6and 7 knots,
breeze to noon, when Lat. 5° 22’ S. Long. 83° 53’ E., current 59’ N. E.
b. E. for the last 24h. Bar. a. m. 29.70. Ther. 76° ; at 8 a. m. 29° 50’ and
77°; at 10 p.m. 29.53 and 78°. Noon 29.46 and 80, clouds hemis-
pherical cumuli interspersed with ponderous nimbi.
Capt. R.—remarks. * I find Bar. considerably fallen with an exceed-
ing long swell from the Southward, and at 7 a high N. N. W. sea
meeting the Southerly swell created an exceedingly turbulent sea.
In the squalls the sea has a strange appearance, the two seas dashing
their crests against each other shoot up to a surprising height and
being caught by the West wind, it is driven in dense foam as high as
our tops. The whole horizon has the appearance of ponderous breakers.
At 8, Bar. still falling; has there been a gale? Much electricity
by the appearance of the clouds. Current 59 miles N. E. b. E. } E.
this 24h. p. mM. breeze decreasing to 13 knots, winds West to South and
at times calm. Clouds, strata and nimbi, making preparations for bad
weather, appearances being suspicious, | 1. 30 p. m. Lat. by Aldebaran
5°. 37' S., midnight squally, rain and calms, dark dismal appearances
all round and increasing Southerly swell.
24th November.—Dark and gloomy winds variable from S. E. to S.
W., Noon, Lat. 5° 32'S., Long. 84°.49’ E., Bar. 5 a.m. 29.57. Ther. 77°.
At 9, 29. 63 and 78°, at noon, 29. 64. and 80°. Clouds, low strata and
nimbus. Currents apparently 30 miles N. E. b. E. 2 E. for the last 24h.
pH
32 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. (No. 157,
p. M. A French and English barque in company, the English we sup-
posed the Baboo, Capt. R. remarks ‘“‘I do not like this gloomy weather ;
with wind lulling and then coming on again with a warning noise *
there either has been or will be bad weather. At 4 calm, at 5 severe
squalls from S.S. W. tremendous high sea from the Southward, ship
rolling dreadfully at intervals. Bar. at 4 p. m. 29.63; at 8p. m. 29.63.
clouds marked as very low, scudding stratus to the Southward.
25th November.—a. mM. wind South veering to S. W. “and vice
versa,” strong gusts from S. toS. W. with a high cross sea, occasioned by
a short Northerly sea meeting the long South swell. Noon, strong
gale at intervals, but decreases as the wind hauls to S. W. increasing
to Southward, ship under close reefed main-top-sail and fore-sail Lat.
5° 42’ S., Long. 85° 3’ E., standing to the EK. S. E.,acurrent N. W. 72
W. 27 miles in 24h. Bar. at 6 a.m. 29.64, Ther. 76°; 9 a.m. 29.64
and 78°, noon 29.63 and 80°. Clouds marked as low stratus, at times
scudding to the South, at times stationary, then flying to the N. E.
p. M. strong gales S.W.b.S. mostly from S. W. attended with
violent squalls. The rain water exceedingly cold, the sea water very
warm, much more so than usually. Two Barques still in sight a head
5 Pp. M. mountainous sea from the Southward. Lofty scud above the
lower strata of clouds flying quickly fo the Southward at 7, breaks in
the clouds, stars visible, but very dull. Bar. at 6 p. m. 29.62, Ther.
77°. At 10, 29.61. and 77°. Midnight wind in severe gusts succeeded
by lulls of a few minutes duration. Clouds, low stratus not per-
haps at 100 yards height, flying before the wind, breaks at times in
the clouds, stars visible, with lofty scud flying with inconceivable ra-
pidity to the Southward.
26th November.—a. M. Laid to under close reefed main-top-sail.
Wind S.toS. W. squalls with rain, exceeding turbulent sea, noon
Lat. 5°. 30’ S. Long. 86°. 23’. E., Bar. 6 a.m. 29. 62, Ther. 78°;
at noon 29.63, and 80°, clouds very low stratus with lofty scud above
all flying to Southward, nimbus at intervals. Strong set to N. E. b
E. 65 miles for the last 24th. p.m. fresh gale with furious squalls
* This warning noise | have more than once adverted to as certainly heard also on
shore; see Jour As. Soc. 7th memoir Vol. XI, p. 1000. but it might there be suppos-
ed to arise from local causes. It is curious to find it remarked at sea by such an atten-
tive observer. What canit be occasioned by? See remarks in summary.
1845. | Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 33
and rain as cold as ice. Edging away to E. S. E. and S. E. b. E.
under two close reefed top-sails, wind S. W. and at intervals W. S.
W.and West. At 8, ropes and gear on deck brilliantly spangled by
small luminous sparks from the sea which when examined appeared
to be fragments of Medusee. Again visible to the W.S. Westward
the sullen red glare and flickering lightning ; midnight squally, sea
presenting flashes of phosphoric light in all directions, Bar. at 9 Pp. m.
29.63, Ther. 78°, clouds low stratus and ponderous nimbi.
27th November.—a. m. Increasing gale West, and at 2 N. W. to
Noon ; very high sea; at 1, wind shzfted from W.S. W. toN. W.
creating a tremendous sea ; 10 a. m. struck bya heavy sea which laid
the ship on her beam ends, lost main-top-mast ; scudded before the wind
to the S. E. under barepoles. a. m. Bar. falling rapidly, noon Lat. by
D. R. 6° 38’ S., Long. 86° 53’ E., Bar. 53 a.m. 29.68. and Ther.
79°. at 7h. Bar. 29.62 ; at 9h. 29.57; at 10h. 29.53; at 10h. 29.50;
at Iih. 29.47; at 114 29.44; at noon, 29.43 and Ther. 8U°, clouds
throughout exceeding low stratus.
p. mM. Wind N. W. tol0 Pr. m. when North; course S. E. to 10, and |
then South ; 3 feet water in the hold and most of the crew sick ; vessel
making only 4 knots per hour before the wind and labouring exces-
sively. At 6 Bar. rising very fast, and at midnight falling again with
dark gloomy threatening weather all round. Bar. at2 p.m. 29. 46, Ther.
81°; at 4h. Bar. 29. 47; at 5h. 29. 56; at 6h. 29. 62; at 7h, 29. 63, and
Ther. 79°; at 9h. 29. 61; at 93h. 29. 58; at 10dh. 29. 62; at Ilh.
29.50 ; at midnight 29.49. Ther. 77°, clouds, exceeding low stratus.
28th November.—Wind N. E. the whole 24h. a.m. increasing gale,
wind veering suddenly to N. E., in a furious squall, lost fore-top-mast,
ship lying to in much distress, Bar. 29.47 at l a.m. Ther. 79°;
2a.M. 29.45; 5 a.m. 29.44; at Gh. 29.43. Ther. 80°; at lh. 29.45
Ther. 81°, noon 29.49 and 82°. Lat. D. R. 7° 39’ S. double Alt. 7° 47’
Long. 87° 17' E., clouds low stratus with ponderous nimbi.
p. mM. wind N. E. tremendous squalls blowing with inconceivable
fury. The sea rising in huge pyramids yet having no velocity but
rising and falling like a boiling cauldron. I have never seen the
like before, I was in the height of the terrible hurricane of September
1834, in the West Indies, I have been in a tyfoon in the China sea,
in gales off Cape Horn, the Cape of Good Hope and New Holland, but
#
34 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. (No, 157.
never saw such a confused and strange sea, I have seen much
higher seas, and I am sure wind heavier but then the sea was re-
gular and the wind steadier.*
10 pe. m. dreadful squalls and a confused sea, both cutters washed
away and mizen-topmast carried away, blowing still harder but Bar.
rising; midnight tried to set the fore-sail and scud but it was blown to
pieces clouds low stratus and nimbus; Bar. 2 p.m. 29.49. Ther.
82°; at 5h. 29. 5 and 80°; at 10h. 29. 53; at Llh 29.54; at midnight
29.56 and 79°.
29th November.—a. mM. wind N. E. till noon, still blowing fearfully
at times. Again tried to scud and ran 8S. by W. 58 miles to noon,
Bar. steadily rising, 10 a. m. good sight for Chr, 2 a. m. Bar. 29.57; at
7h. 29.57. and Ther. 79°; at 10h. 29.58. and 80°; at noon 29.59. and
81°. Lat. 9° 47’ S. Long. 87° 18’.
Noon blowing with inconceivable fury at times, with the sea I
think more agitated and confused than ever ; rising up in monstrous
heaps and falling down again without running in any direction.
Noon laid to again.
p. M. violent squalls and tremendous high sea, 3 feet water in the
hold, wind N. E. to East. Midnight more moderate at times. Bar.
2p. m. 29.60, Ther. 82°, and to midnight the same, but Ther. 79°
clouds during this 24h. are exceeding low stratus sendding in all dis-
rections, upper strata to the Southward, lower to the west; at other
times apparently to North and East.
30th November.—a. m. gale abates a little, high sea, ship lying to
with tarpaulins in the mizen rigging, wind marked N. E. to East.
Bar. 4 a.m. 29.60, Ther. 77°. Noon 29.61. Ther. 80°, Lat. 10° 55’
S. Obs. 10° 48’ S. by double altitudes Long. 86° 46’ E. Clouds low
stratus.
P. M. moderate gale at times but the sea does not go down; at 4,
heavy rain, wind N. E. throughout, midnight the same weather;
heavy squalls ofrain. Bar. 1 p. u. 29.61. Ther. 81°; at 6h. 29.61. and
78° ; midnight clouds low stratus with nimbi.
* This is by far the clearest, most graphic and seaman-like description of ‘the pyramidal sea”
found at, or near, the centre of Indian Hurricanes and to which I have frequently alluded in
former memcirs, which I have yet met with.
1845. ] Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 35
lst. December.—a. M. gale and sea moderating. Winds N. E. to
noon when Lat. 11°. 10’. S. Long. 85°47’ E. Bar. 6 a. m. 29.61. Ther.
77°. Noon 29.62. Ther. 81° Clouds cirro-stratus and nimbi. Pp. m.
squalls of rain at intervals, wind N. E. to midnight. 6p. m. Bar.
29.63, Ther. 80°; midnight 29.64. and 78° ; clouds cirro-stratus and
ponderous nimbi.
2d December.— Moderate and passing squalls, sea much gone down,
repairing damages. Winds East to noon when Lat. 12° 30’ Long.
Lunars 85° 26’ E. Chro. 85° 34’. Bar. noon 29.67.
3d December.—At noon quite fine.
Abridyed extract from the Log of the Barque We.uineTon, forwarded
by Captain BipEn, Civil time.
30th November, 1843.—At noon in Lat. 13° 37' S., Long. 84° 7’ E.
Bar. 29.68. Ther. 82°. Wind marked E. S. E. Increasing to 2 P. mM.
when hove to, having prepared for bad weather.
lst December.—Wind marked East; gale increasing, noon Lat.
13° 25’ S., Long. 83° 47’ E., Bar. 29. 58. at midnight and noon, Ther.
82°, sea increasing.
2d December.—Heavy gale N. E. 9 a. m. saw a Barque scudding
under reefed fore-sail. Noon Lat. 13°5' S., Long. 83° 27' E., more mo-
derate, 6 a. m. Bar. 29.58.; at 10, 29. 70., Noon 29.77. Sail made
gradually.
3d December.—Noon, N. E. light breeze and rainy, Lat. 12° 34’ S.,
Long. 84° 34' E. Bar. 29.90. Ther. 71. :
Extract from the Log Book of the Skip True Briron, from London
to Madras.—Capt. C. C. ConsiTr.
Friday \st December 1843.—». m. Wind E. by S. commenced with ©
a hard gale with occasional tremendous squalls with hail and rain.
8, wind increasing to a hurricane nearly, with a tremendous heavy
sea, striking the ship severely, washing away the quarter galleries,
above and below, and loosening the stern frame, causing the water
to come in there rapidly and obliging us to keep a strong gang of
hands in the lower after Cabins bailing continually, the lower deck
completely afloat fore and aft, ship’s sides and water-ways leaking
36 Eleventh: Memoir on the Law of Storms in India, [No. 157,
much, washed in and unshipped Larboard Cutter ; daylight, found one
of the shrouds of the main rigging carried away and the wedges
round both fore-mast and bowsprit worked right out; blowing heavily
at East with tremendous squalls and rain. Ship lurching and rolling
heavily and shipping much water over all. The lower deck complete-
Jy afloat, the water washing over the combings. No Observations.
Bar. ranging from 29.50. to 29. 60., Simp. from 29.2 to 29. 10,
throughout the gale the Ther. 83°.
Saturday 2d December, 1844.—r. m. Wind E. by S. Hard gale
with heavy squalls, rain and hail and a tremendous sea on ; ship being
struck very heavily about the stern frame and under the Larboard
main channels, the quarter galleries completely gone, the quarter
deck and waist ports stove and washed out, the sea rolling in on either
side in a large body; 8 ditto weather ; 10 The gale moderating and glass
inclined to rise ; midnight less wind with a high sea on, ship labouring
severely, the sea striking her heavily and taking in much water on
deck and below.
2d December.—Daylight found the driver-boom tossing astern.
8, wind still blowing strong with less sea; well 14 zmches ; throwing
overboard 5 horses, that died from fatigue and want of air during
the late bad weather; noon moderate and fine. Lat. Obs. 12° 58’
South. Long. 82° 30’. East.
I now, as in the former Memoirs, arrange the logs of the ships in
tables .to shew at one view the weather and winds prevailing over
this great space of the ocean which, it will be observed, reaches on the
lst and 2d November, over 24 degrees of Lat. including the equator,
and during 5 days with severe storms blowing on both sides of it.
This is alone a Meteorological curiosity of no small interest.
37
India.
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Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Sto
1845.]
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Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India.
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50 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. (No. 157.
PART L
SUMMARY.
Southern Hemisphere.
I have divided this summary into two parts to separate the storms
of the Northern and that of the Southern Hemispheres from each
other. If we review the tables, and this will be usually found the
best means of forming an approximate judgment, at a glance we
shall find, that,
On the 24th of November.—There is fine weather in the Northern
Hemisphere with the Winifred in 153° N. and we have no other
Logs for that day in Northern Lat. nearer to the equator. In the
Southern Hemisphere in Lat 4° 47’, S. a gale had so far begun with
the John Fleming as to reduce her to close reefs, but her Bar. had
not fallen below 29.72.: yet the thick weather, rain and heavy sea
might be thought sufficient indication, that she was on the verge,
at least, of the commencing storm, the centre of which must then have
borne about 8. S. E. to S. b. E. of her; as in the Southern Hemis-
phere we assume,—and this memoir will amply prove it,—that the re-
volution of the rotatory storms is from the South (on the left hand)
to the West, North and East.
But we shall observe at the same time, that at Noon on the same
day the Flowers of Ugie was, by her Log worked back from Noon of
the 25th* within 12 or 15 miles of the John Fleming and yet she had
but light airs, calms, and breezes from the South and 8S. S. W. from
noon till midnight, when the weather began to be squally, increasing
to a strong gale at Noon of 25th, though even then her Bar. was
at 29.80.
We have then the Elizabeth Ainslie in 5° 10’ S. and Long. 84° 25’
E. or within 3 miles of the Ugie (though their logs do not mention being
in sight of each other) and there are thus possibly errors in the positions
* The extract sent me begins on the 25th. Nautical time and though the Log
is perfectly well and even carefully kept, it has the fault of adopting the
Coaster form of marking the run per Log every two hours only ; which thus always
renders it in some degree obscure for purposes of after reference and exact calcula-
tion.
EO
1845.] Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India, ol
of all the ships sufficient to put them out of sight of each other.* This
ship had also, up to noon, a fresh breeze and squally weather, and her
Bar. at 29.78. the wind at West and W. b. S. and becoming more
squally as she ran to the S. Eastward between noon and midnight.
The Futtle Rozack was the next ship to the Southward, being in 5° 32’
S. and 84° 49’ E. on this day. As will be seen by her log, which is
well worth an attentive perusal, she had indications of suspicious wea-
ther from the 21st in 1° 22' S. and these were increasing every day ; her
weather on this day (the 24th) being dark and gloomy, with variable
squalls and even calms at times, but with a tremendous high sea from
the South, “ the wind” lulling and coming on again with a moaning
noise,” her Bar. was yet at 29.64. We have thus four ships, the John
Fleming, Flowers of Ugie, Elizabeth Anslie, and Futtle Rozack, in a
space comprised within 45 miles of Lat. and 25 of Long. so that allowing
for slight errors of instruments and observations the whole were within
less than a square degree of each other, and as we have seen they seem
to have had just such variable s/veams of wind and intervals of calms
or light breezes, with even fine weather, as we might suppose a priori
to exist on the outer verge of a storm, and which those who have fol-
lowed the investigations of them, both here and through Col. Reid. and
Mr. Redfield’s works have found in both Hemispheres. It is curious
that none of the other ships remark on this day, though they do so on
the 25th, upon the heavy sea, so carefully noticed in Captain Rundle’s
remarks ; I shall advert to this again. We may thus consider the gale
of the John Fleming as perhaps 2 commencing stream of wind on the
circumference of a vortex, for I must again reiterate here that while of
course a storm must begin somewhere and somehow, we are profoundly
ignorant, both of the how and the where it begins, whether at the centre
or on the circumference, and what its effects at the circumference
are both when beginning and after it is in progress, and can only
therefore carefully register every fact which may tend to throw the
faintest light upon the manner in which these tremendous phoenomena
* This however may not be the case ; a Commander of one of the ships told me
that there were ‘‘ several of us close together when the gale commenced”’ and he
meant in sight, for he remarked upon the want of preparation apparent in one or two
vessels. ;
¢ Nearly correct, for its slight error of .07 was ascertained here.
52 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. {No. 157.
first develope themselves, or are felt, at the extreme verge of their
peripheries or at their centres.
We cannot therefore assign any centre for the storm on the 24th, for
we have no evidence beyond the heavy swell just alluded to that it
was fairly begun any where on that day; though it should be borne
in mind that it may have been also coming up from a distance, and
that the incipient gale of the John Fleming was perhaps an ext7‘a-vor-
tical stream thrown off from the main body of the storm,* and the
heights of the Bars. of the John Fleming and Ugie as late as noon of the
25th lends some countenance to the probability that the storm had
formed and was really coming up. It is remarkable also that on this
day the Fleming had the weather ‘‘ more moderate” than on the 24th,
while with the flowers of Ugie it was “‘ a strong gale” at noon.
On the 25th November.—At noon it will be seen that these four
ships the Fleming, Ugie, Ainslie, and Futtle Rozack, were al] within a
square space of 45 miles on each side, or as before, allowing for slight
errors, all within a square degree, having made from 16 to 85 miles to
the S.E. by Eastward. The Fleming was the northernmost ship, and
in about 6° S., the other three nearly on the same parallel of 5.40. S.
and from 85° to 85° 40’ East. The Fleming as above remarked has the
weather moderating considerably on this day, and this is a proof that
her gale of the 24th, was as we supposed, in all probability, an extra-
vortical stream thrown off from the gale into which the other three
ships 40 miles to the South of her, were now fairly entered.t They
had all four on this day the high Southerly sea, which may be said for
the Ugie, Fleming, and Ainslie, to have begun from midnight, 24th
25th, when the Ugie marks 2 points of lee-way and she begins her pre-
parations for bad weather also from this time. Excluding the Fleming
since she was not yet fairly in the storm and taking the three other
ships just mentioned to have been within it, we find they had all the
* The vignette titles to the Charts are purposely drawn to shew these kinds
of irregularities either at the circumference or in the bodies of the storms. If con-
sidered attentively the reader will see that the arrows may curve more inwards
or outwards, or be in the exact circumference of every circle, from a hundred varying
causes and forces.
+ Here we have an explanation of this treacherous moderating of the weather
which I have often remarked upon, see ‘‘ Horn Book of Storms,”’ p. 11, and which
every seaman of experience in tropical seas knows.
1845.] Hleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 53
wind at from between South to S.S.W. and 8S. W. those which had
it steadiest and were furthest to the Eastward, i. e. nearest to the centre,
which are the Ainslie and Ugie, having it between South and S. S. W.
so that we may call it almost 8. b. W. on the average, which would give
the centre bearing at noon E.bS., from the centre of the triangle formed
by them, at any distance we may suppose ; but it is barely possible to
assign this, as we know nothing of the general sizes of the vortices in
the Southern hemisphere or of this one in particular. We may notice
also that to this day the two ships Edmonstone and Sophia which
were, though in about the same Lat. three or four degrees to the West
of the others, had nothing but variable light breezes, and fine weather.
On the 26th November.—We have still the same four ships near
each other, though somewhat more dispersed ; two, the Futtle Rozack
and Ainslie, being at 73 miles from each other and the other two
about midway between them, the whole four had severe gales and
by noon, the Fleming was lying to under storm stay sails; the Ugie
under bare poles at 4 p. m. and the Ainslie also hove to at noon.
These three ships had the wind between W.S. W.and S. W. The Fut-
tle Rozack, the northernmost ship, having it about S. W. at noon, though
as she was running away tothe S.E.b. E. she found it drawing more
Westerly. Taking a spot in the middle of the acute rhomboid formed
by their four positions,* which will only differ 35 miles at farthest
from the two most distant from each other, and this in the line of
the perpendicular, we shall find it to be in Lat. 6° 5’ S. Long. 86°
30’ KE. and if we take it that here the average wind was really S. W.b.
_W.4 W. we shall havethe centre bearing from us S. E.bS. 3S. and
we may perhaps assume that the distance of it did not exceed from
this spot 150 miles, which would place it as I have marked it in Lat.
8° 17’ S., Long. 87° 45’ E. It was not much more than this distance,
for the Sophia and Edmonstone which were about 220 miles due
West of these four ships, had still fine weather with a brisk S.S. W.
and Southerly breeze at noon in this day and the Baboo, as nearly as we
* This, when the positions of vessels do not afford cross bearings by the perpendi-
culars from their tangents is far the safest and must be the most correct method, par-
ticularly if we take into account how ill the exact positions can be ascertained in
such weather and with how little exactitude the direction of the wind also is noted
in most logs.
—
54 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. [No. 157.
can judge from her Lat. and Long. was in Long. 83° 40’ E. Lat. 6° 17’
South or about 180 miles also to the Westward, standing close hauled
43 knots to the S. E.bS. with the wind at S. W.b S. but with only
squally and rainy weather, whereas had the storm been of much larger
dimensions, that is if its centre was at any much greater distance from
the mean point between the four ships already noted above, the Baboo
must now have felt it more severely. Hence 150 miles is certainly
the utmost semi-diameter we can allow to the storm on this day, sup-
posing the circle to be fully formed.
27th November.—The positions, of the same four ships, again form a
triangular figure, of which the longest diameter from W.S.W. to
E. N. E. is 75 miles and the perpendicular about 20. Three of them
indeed, the Fleming, Ainslie, and Futtle Rozack are so placed that
their mean distance is but about 18 miles, and I take this spot, Lat.
6° 32' S. Long. 87° 13’ E. to be the average position of those three
ships. Their winds as marked in the logs are ;
Elizabeth Ainslie about N. W.b W.
Fleming about W.N. W.
Futtle Rozack N. W.
N. W. b. W. is thus about the mean of their winds and the Ugie we
find had it W. N. W. Projecting these for the supposed bearing of the
centre S.W.bS. and S.S. W. it will give us two diverging lines, not
an unfrequent case where ships are near each other, the weather severe,
and the wind not probably “ filled up,” (if marked at all in the log)
till a day or two afterwards.* To the Westward we have the Edmon-
stone and Baboo with apparently streams of winds from the South
and S.S. W. and a sea from S. E. such as might be expected on the
Western verge of a gale, and exactly analogous to those experienced by
the Ainslie, Ugie, and other ships on the 25th when on its Northern
verge; and those ships Edmonstone, and Baboo, were also standing on
the starboard tack to the E.S. EH, so as to run towards it. The Sophia,
a degree farther to the Westward, has the S. E. swell but less wind.
* This is no exaggeration, as every one who knows what the severe and anxious
duties of the master and officers of a merchant ship, under the present economical
systems of sailing them, become in bad weather will fully admit; and we must add
here that most of our ships had Lascar crews and Coolies on board. J do not then
it will be understood, make the remark in the text disparagingly, but as necessary
to put the reader in full possession of the facts and the grounds of my judgment,
1845.] Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 55
We must therefore, as the gale had not yet reached the Baboo, which
ship is the nearest, and at about 150 miles from the Futtle Rozack,
Ainslie, and Fleming, conclude that it did not much exceed !00 miles
in its semi-diameter, and taking this distance on each bearing line and
then the mean point between the two, we obtain a spot in Lat. 7° 50’ S.
Long. 86° 52’ E. for the approximate place of the centre of our storm
for the 27th, but we shall find on the 28th that this very nearly ap-
proaches what must have been its true place as shewn by the veering
of the winds, as the ships running and drifting to the S.S. E. sadled
close round the centre, which was slowly moving to the N. W.
On the 28th of November.—We find on this day three of our ships
the Fleming, Futtle Rozack, and Ainslie, nearly on the same meridian,
but with a difference of 75 miles in Lat. between the Fleming, the
northernmost and the Ainslie the southernmost ship, all having run
or drifted, as the wind veered with them, to between the S.S. East
and S.b. Westward, and the hurricane having been stationary or pass-
ed very slowly to the N. Westward, judging from its approximate
track already laid down. Now ?#f the circular theory be true, and if
there was this progressive motion we ought to find that these ships have
brought the winds from N.N. W.to North and N. East, according to
their positions on various parts of the circle, having run or drifted, as
before said, round the N. Eastern and Eastern, and one of them, the
Ainslie, reached the S. Eastern quadrant of thestorm circle. We have
accordingly at noon.
N. W.* p.m. N. N. W. and as the
f More moderate and drawing to the
The Fleming with the wind. ship was running to the S. W. at 8
( p. M. N. East.
Wind N.E. throughout, having veered
from North with tremendous sea, her
Sie ame honack. .- - > - course nearly parallel to the track of
the storm.
’ aes N.E. hard gale, tremendous sea. Pp. m.
The Ainslie. .. Wa RES ere BONS pian Bast.
While the Ugie from 80 to 90 miles to the Eastward of these ships has
the gale first from N.N. W. but by running to the 5S. W. b S. brings
it to North: all this is, as will readily be comprehended in exact con-
* J suppose it to be about N. W. b. N.
56 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. {| No. 157.
formity with our law of storms for the Southern Hemisphere ; and to
the Westward we have now moreover.
With wind from S. to S. W. and at
The Baboo. .. a OES noon S. W.b W. and at 6 P.M.
W. S. W. strong gale. -
With strong gale and mountainous sea
The Edmonstone. .. .«. wind about S.S. W. veering to S.W.
after noon.
which are also about the winds which ships entering the storm onits
western quadrant should have. The Sophia is yet too far to the West-
ward to feel much of the storm. Taking all these data we find that
the nearest spot which will reconcile them, within either a few miles
of their position as given or calculated, or within a point or more of the
direction of the wind,* is one in Lat. 7° 18’ S. and 86° 45’ E. where
I have therefore placed the approximate centre of the storm for this
day.
On the 29th November.—The positions of the ships are now becoming,
it should be recollected, very uncertain from the continuance of the
bad weather, and thus any estimation of the true place of the centre of
the storm from their supposed places at noon, becomes more and more
difficult. Nevertheless if we take a point near the calculated place
* Tuse here these words, intentionally, and as writing for unprofessional as well
as professional men, and anxious that not only all our data, but also all the consider-
ations which would influence the mind of a scientific seaman in considering what
weight he would give to these data, should be known to all. It occurs to me that
I may usefully set down here, what considerations must be taken into account in
considering log-book relations of storms, The seaman is acquainted with most of
them, but some may be neweventohim. The data are first the ship’s place, second
the direction of the wind, third the run or drift, fourth the sea, these are influenced
: by,
1 Want of observations.
2 Bad observations set down as good ones.
3 Run or drift ill kept or badly estimated, few ships marking their lee-way for
instance, and some being much more lee-wardly than others.
4 Storm wave, See 8th Memoir, Jour. As. Soc. Vol. XII. p. 397 for the ex-
5 Storm current, planation of these terms.
6 Wind carefully or carelessly noted ?
7 Not noted at all till a day or two after the storm?
8 Veering of the wind set down at the wrong hours.
9 Alterations of courses also set down wrong, or at wrong time,
10 Inaccuracy of all data from errors of copyists or printers ; the last.almost con-
tinual in Newspaper accounts.
eee SS ee
1845.] Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 57
of the Elizabeth Ainslie which ship must have been close to the centre
at noon, for she was 27 it at 5 p. m. on this day, we shall find, that it
agrees so far as to make the following ships have the winds by the
chart and by their logs as follows :—
Wind by Log. Wind by the projection.
Elizabeth Ainslie, .. about North. .. Assumed correct.
John Fleming, oy between N. and E. N. 2 E.
Flowers of Ugie, .. ‘about N. b E. N. 2 E.
Futtle Rozack, sc N. East. ap N.N. EB. 2 E
Baboo, _—.«j ve Westerly. a5 W. by N.
Edmonstone, ee Wester oO: West.
Sophia, ee : about W. S. W. S. W. by S.
which is near enough for these seven ships to allow us to assume it.
It will then be for this day in Lat. 8° 38’ S. Long. 85° 00 E.
On the 30th November.—We find that a number of the ships
which had drifted or run to the South and South Westward, were evi-
dently on the Eastern and South Eastern and Southern quadrants
of the storm, having the winds from N. by E. to N. E. and East,
while others were on the Northern, and the Sophia on the extreme
North Western verge. The Edmonstone which ship had run down
about a degree and a half to the Southward, (S.S. E. South and S.S.
W.) had the wind also veering as it should veer with a Hurricane
slowly progressing tothe Westward, while she was running partly
round the N. Eastern, and towards the Eastern quadrants of it; and
her Bar. also was falling from midnight of the 29th to 30th, as by bearing
up, she run down again towards, and neared the centre. We find it again
rising also when, having brought the centre of the Hurricane to bear
W. bN. of her (wind N.b E.) towards midnight of the Ist Decem-
ber, she again heaves to and allowed the storm to pass slowly away
from her, while she drifted away from 2¢. The following will be
found the directions of the wind as given in the ship’s logs and those
which the centre of the Hurricane, as assumed* for this day, and the
positions of the ships give at Noon.
* T use this word ‘‘ assumed”’ rather in contradistinction to ‘‘ shown’’ or ‘‘ de-
monstrated’’ because of the great uncertainty of many of the ships’ positions, of
which some have now been three or four days without observations and keeping a
very indifferent note of the drift, sea, and even of courses, and winds.
I
— i) P.
58 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. [No. 157.
Wind by the Log. Winds by their post-
tions on the chart.
Wdmonstoneei 072... INN es CN
Flowers of Ugie,-- .... ING. Joey aia beets N. E.
Futtle Rozackiw 8 <6. N, ER ie eee Nook.
Active;*: smis. io ss sod pabomt Mast soe dae E. N. E.
BabOO! ss cco «ote cetbtiets Nie ee .. N. b. W
Wellington,.\:).. 0. e480 BE: on Hie. eel. i ae
The Ainslie and John Fleming’s positions are both utterly uncer-
tain on this day, though both ships were doubtless from the violence
and veerings of the wind with them, close to the centre; no sort of
account indeed could well be kept in these ships as from stress of wea-
ther, they were obliged to steer various courses so as to ease the vessel
as much as possible, on account of their cooley passengers. —The Ward
from the inperfect newspaper account appears, though a degree or
more to the North of the Wellington, to have had it atS. W. commenc-
ing on this day, though her position is quite uncertain,t as the Lat. and
Long. given, as in the case of the Active, seem to have been intended
to express the spot where they had the heaviest weather and not the
ship’s place.
The log of the Sophia offers a considerable anomaly. By the posi-
tion of our centre from which she is at 180 miles distance, which
is much less than the distance of the Wellington, and about the
distance of the Futtle Rozack and Ugie from it, she should have the
wind at S. W. while she has it at North W. by her log! I am unable
at present to reconcile this. It may be an error in copying, orit may be
that she met with another and a new storm thrown off in advance of
the principal one, or finally she may have been carried much further to
the Eastward than she supposed, and thus have been really on the N.
Eastern quadrant as her wind would place her. I leave it therefore
for the present.
* This vessel’s place is also uncertain, for the Lat. and Long. given in the news-
paper appear to be that of the ship when the storm was at its height, rather than
that of a given date.
t The position is wholly wrong. The Ward spoke the Sophia on the 26th in 6%
S. and therefore could not be on the 30th in 12. 30, So, both having Southerly
winds. She was probably on this day somewhere between the Sophia’s and Baboo’s
tracks which would give her the S. Westerly gale mentioned.
1845.] Hleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 59
On the 1st December.—We have the Flowers of Ugie and Futtle
Rozack close together with a heavy gale at N. E., and the Edmonstone
also, which ship had run to the Southward about 150 miles, making but
little westing, was now nearly on the same parallel, but 90 miles to
the Westward of the two former ships, also with a N. Easterly gale.
This places all three ships on the S. E. quadrant of the storm circle ;
and we have the Fleming with a hurricane between North and East
“and the Ainslie with puffs and lulls from the N. E.,” indicating that
both were not far from the centre and also on the same quadrant. The
Fleming appears to have run in company with the storm for some time,
and as the Ainslie was hove to, we see by her rising Bar. that it was,
by her drift, rapidly passing from her. The track laid down for these
two vessels it will be remembered is merely a line to join the two
points between the 29th November, and 2nd and 3rd December, their
position being wholly uncertain between those dates. The Baboo and
Sophia both mark winds at N. W. but the positions of both are very
uncertain. Hence we may I think place the centre of the storm for
this day about in Lat. 9° 35’ S. and Long. 83° 42’ E. and it will give
the winds to the ships as follows :—
Ugie and Futtle Rozack about, .. N. E. by E.
Ainslie and Fleming’s positions Nie eteard.
wholly uncertain,
MAGIMONStONGs sce wey Me I BEN
PVCUUIMELON 6 3) we ist! ee ? vis, ast.
which with the exception of the Edmonstone is not far from what
they had. For the position of the Baboo, we have only her Lat. which
however would undoubtedly place her on the N. E. quadrant and
therefore give her a North Westerly wind. The Sophia (or her posi-
tion) is an anomaly which I must leave as I find it. She has by the
position given, and with our centre, the wind a little to Southward of
West, but by her log as marked she had a heavy North Westerly gale,
she may have again been farther to the Eastward than she supposed
for she could have had no good observations for the preceding 3 days,
and this as before remarked would place her on the right quadrant of
the circle fora N.Westerly gale, I have however, marked a storm arrow
through her supposed position for this day.
On the 2nd December.—We have the Futtle Rozack, Edmonstone,
Je Pi
60 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. [No. 157.
Ainslie, and Fleming, all not far from the same parallel of Lat.
but dispersed over four degrees of Long. The Fleming (position
uncertain) being the Westernmost, and Futtle Rozack farthest to the E.
We have the Ugie also about a degree to the Southward of them, and
the weather is fair, or clearing up fast with a fair Easterly breeze, for all
these ships by noon on this day, as being on the S. E. quadrant of the
storm, had run or drifted out of it; and had no doubt now a part of
the usual trade wind. The Sophia is found on this day in about the
Lat. of the centre of the Ist, and she has the wind at North, at noon,
Srom a heavy gale at N. W. on the preceding days, shewing evidently
that her storm could not have been the same as the one we have been
considering, 7. e. that of the Futtle Rozack, Ugie and and other ships.
She notes also, that at midnight between the Ist and 2nd there was a
heavy sea coming up from S. W. which was in all probability the sea
from the Ugie’s storm, to judge by the positions of our circles.
PAad, 1
Storms in the Northern Hemisphere.
25th November.—In the Northern Hemisphere we have nothing
extraordinary for this day, the Carena off Ceylon having light airs
and the Winifred in the middle of the bay in Lat. 13° a fresh monsoon
with an average Bar.
26th November.—The Winifred, Candahar, and Fyzul Curreem,
have winds and weather indicating a change, though there is nothing
sufficiently pronounced to be called, as yet, the commencement of a
storm, and the Bars. of both the Candahar and Winifred are high.
27th November,—We have three ships, the Winifred, Fyzulbarry
and Fyzul Curreem, each with signs of the approaching storm, which
was afterwards so severe with the Fyzulbarry, (and perhaps the Colo-
nel Burney?) The Winifred in Lat. 7° 4° N. and Long. 85° 56’
EK. at noon is running rapidly to the South, the wind veering from E.
N. E. at noon to North at 8 p. u., and N. N. W.at 4 a. Mm. with thick
gloomy weather and violent squalls, “ giving little warning” says Cap-
tain Webb ; an apt phrase to designate squalls thrown off from the
periphery of a rotatory storm, if they were such.
1845.] Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 61
The Fyzul Curreem in Lat. 5° 11'S., but in Long. 83° 36’ E., or two
degrees farther to the Westward has squally weather from N. N. W.
and the Fyzulbarry in Lat. 5° 38’ and in 88.° 40’ East, has it
threatening from the Eastward with a heavy N. E. sea, her Bar. faliing,
and p. m. the wind increasing to a gale from E. N. E. with a heavy
sea. We may thus assume that with this ship, at midnight, a storm
had fairly begun from N. E., at which we find it marked at | a. m. on
the morning of the 28th ; at what distance we have no means of judg-
Ing. I have therefore for this day marked but a single segment ofa
circle through the Fyzulbarry’s position, from a centre 240 miles due S.
E. of it, which is to be taken rather as an zndication of the storm than
any thing else.
On the 28th November.—We have the Winifred in 4° 27' N. and
Fyzul Curreem in 2° 06’ N. the first with “ strong gales N. W. and
N. N. W. and gloomy weather with her Bar. falling a little, and
the latter with only a fresh breeze from about N. W. The Fyzul-
barry had her N. Easterly storm continuing and veering to E. N. E.
It is probable that as the Winifred and Fyzulbarry were only 220
miles apart on this day, the Winifred was just on the outskirts of the
storm which evidently lies betwixt them; and as she was running to
the Southward she soon got clear of it. "The Fyzul Curreem was
wholly out of its influence and the Candahar has, as yet, but a strong
monsoon gale. I have therefore placed the centre of the Fyzulbarry’s
storm in Lat. 6° 00’ N. Long. 88° 45’ E. marking an arrow through
the Winifred’s position to shew its effect upon her.
29th November.—We have the Candahar with an evidently com-
mencing gale at N. E. and the Fyzulbarry with a furious one at N.
E. We have no other bearing or datum whereby to estimate the dis-
tance of the centre of this storm which now bore about S. E. from the
Fyzulbarry, but we find that it veered rapidly with her to N. N. E.
and by 11: 30 vp. m. to North ; of course as the vessel ran and drifted
round the N. W. quadrant. From the best estimate I can make, I
should with every allowance place the centre, which bore at noon S.
E. of this ship, in Lat. 6° 52’ N. Long. 87° 48’ E.* We have no
Lat. of the Carena, and of the Bittern on/y a Lat. of this day!
* It was really in about 6° 00’ N., Long. 88° 00! East, by the Log of the John
Brightman. See note at the end.
ae
62 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. [No. 157.
I have printed the abridgment of these extracts, indeed, almost to
shew what meagre and disappointing documents we sometimes obtain.*
We cannot from such data affirm that the Fyzulbarry’s and Candahar’s
storms were the same, and indeed the great size of this circle is entirely
I think against the probability that they were, for it would be if com-
pleted 600 miles in diameter, and we shall find on the 30th and Ist
December that the storm could not have been the same, and we thus
obtain distinct evidence of three separate storms at the same time ; two
in the Northern and one in the Southern Hemisphere.
30th November.—We have first the Fyzulbarry running to the
S. S. E. and S. E. and evidently towards the centre of the storm,
which does not appear to have been an entirely calm one or at least
the ship did not get into it. At 7 Pp. m. she had the Westerly sea,
“ rolling up and overpowering the Easterly one,” and the S. W. and
Southerly gale coming up. She had an observation, though indiffer-
ent on this-day, so that we may take her position as within a little
to be that of the centre of the storm, and projecting it would give to
Candahar a N. Easterly gale at 250 miles distance from the centre ;
and therefore a moderate, instead of a furious N. Westerly one which she
had,) shewing that her storm as before remarked, was certainly a
different one from that of the Fyzulbarry. I have then placed the
centre of the Fyzulbarry’s storm for this day in Lat. 7° 30’ N. Long. 87°
30’. E. The Mary Imrie in 12°20’ North, though we have not her longi-
tude thisday, was doubtless on the N. W. quadrant of the Candahar’s
storm, and at Madras the high surf and strong current to the Northward
are indications of the approaching tempest there. The Vernon we find
went to sea, on this day from Madras roads, with a fresh N. N. E. gale at
7v.m. The Bittern and Carena’s logs give us no information for want
of Long. but the Winifred’s is interesting as showing that though the
* And, as it has often struck me, to remark on the absurd practice of keeping a
log book without entering the Longitude. It is quite possible that a case might
arise in which, at least ignorance of his position, if not of wilful destruction of his
vessel might be alledged, if not proved, in a court of law against the master of a
vessel through this omission ; and his insurance thereby become vitiated in case of
an accident. The private ‘‘ Chronometer book’’ of a Captain would barely be called |
a legitimate document when the book which should contain the vessel’s place at noon
is blank.
1845.] Eleventh Memotr on the Law of Storms in India. 63
centre of the Fyzulbarry’s storm and that of the ships in the South-
ern Hemisphere were sixteen degrees of Lat. apart on this day, there
was still about the equator considerable atmospheric disturbance, with
heavy streams of wind from the Westward, agreeing with what we
should look for as the general effect of the Southern and Northern
halves of the storms in each Hemisphere. The Winifred’s Bar. also,
and it was evidently most carefully observed, is yet about two tenths
below the averages before and after the bad weather which she expe-
perienced. At mzdnight of this day we have the Candahar with a
heavy gale at N. W. and the Mary Imrie with a terrific one at N. N.
E. and taking the last ship to have made about a South course, we
find by projection that on the 30th, at midnight the centre of what
I shall now on this evidence call the Candahar’s storm was in about
Lat. 10° 45’ N., Long. 65° 0’ East, the centre passing near the Canda-
har about noon the following day; the Mary Imrie scudding to the
Southward on its Western side.
lst December.—We have first the Fyzulbarry, which ship had run
with her Southerly gale 150 miles to the N. N. E. from noon 30th to
noon of this day with the winds between S. S. W. and South, raising
her Bar. as she increased her distance from the centre of the storm
from 29.30, at 7 «a. m. to 29.80 at 10 p. m. or half an inch in fifteen
hours ; and obtaining also moderate weather at midnight. I have before
shewn on the 29th and 30th November that this ship’s storm must
have been a separate one from that of the Candahar, and it will
be presently seen that it clearly was so. The loose report of the
Niagara informs us of nothing more than that she had a rotatory
storm about in Lat. 10° Long. 87° of which we may suppose the
strength was about noon on this day, and that she was not far from the
centre of it; drifting or running round the S. Eastern and North
Eastern quadrants of it, if indeed the expressions used do not mean
that she had a shift of wind ; she would then atall events, if not in the
centre, be on the Eastern side of it ; so that taking the Fyzulbarry’s and
this to be the same storm we find that it may have travelled up to the
N. b. Westward about 150 miles, or something less, in this 24 hours,
and to this the run of the Fyzulbarry 150 miles to the N. b. E. but
carrying always a Southerly wind, lends much probability. However
the Niagara’s position and times of the wind, &c. are so loosely given
|
64 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. (No. 157.
that we can only mark this as an approximation. Her rapid change of
wind, however, and her distance from the Candahar on this day, which
was nearly, or quite, three degrees of Long. exclude the idea of its
being the same storm, and I have placed its centre, approximately, close
to the Niagara in Lat. 9° 55’ N. Long. 86° 55’ E.
We now come to the Candahar, Mary Imrie and Vernon on this
day, and here we must first remark on the Candahar’s position
which must be I should think erroneously given,* for she was lying to
with a tremendous heavy gale from North Westward veering at one
time to N. by E. and again to N. W. by W. and yet she has made near-
ly a Northerly course! This is of course impossible, unless we suppose
her to have been carried as far to the West by the storm wave as she
was drifted to the East by the wind and storm current, both of which
tended to carry her to the East and E. S. E. and her position indeed
on this day can but be an estimated one: I did not observe this at the
time I made the extract, and there may be some clerical error of my
own. It is now too late to rectify it, and we must therefore allow that
one way or the other there is an error between these two days. The
Vernon’s position was certainly correct but then she had only a “ strong
breeze” with her Barometer at 29.68. and we cannot thus allow her to
have been 7z the storm though close to the outskirts of it. The Mary
Imrie was running free and had an observation, so that her position
may be taken as nearly correct, but we have unfortunately the wind
but loosely given as veering “ to the Westward” (from the N. N. E.)
after noon. We may guess it to have been about North or to the West-
ward of it, at Noon which placing the Candahar, somewhat further to
the Eastward, if we please, will give us a spot in about Lat. 10° 18’
Long. 84° 2' E. as the approximate position of the centre of this storm
on this day which was evidently passing the meridian of these ships
and close to the Candahar, and this apparently on a track to the
Southward of West,
The difference of their positions indeed is but 28 miles, an error
which might easily occur with the Candahar, having no observation.
The repeated shifts of wind from N.W. to S. W. may be accounted
for very simply, by reflecting that when near to or in the central space,
there are many causes such as irregular blasts, storm wave and cur-
* Or that of the day preceding may be so ?
1845.) Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 65
rent,—the ship’s own run or drift &c.—to induce these irregularities ;
and we find that as the centre passed on and she fell into the S. Eastern
quadrant of the storm, she again experienced it blowing a hurricane
from S. W. shewing that (as she had run a little to the North) she had
been on the Southern side of the central space ; of whatever extent this
was. It is indeed I think most probable that on this day she was not
to the Northward but the Southward of the Mary Imrie’s position.
Both ships were probably very near to, though they did not see each
other. The Vernon’s position gives a radius of 110 miles, or a diame-
ter of 220, for this storm for this day, and we are satisfied that it could
not be the Niagara’s or Fyzulbarry’s, the Niagara being evidently
close to the centre of hers. I shall remark on the 2nd, on the Madras
and Ceylon reports for this and the next day.
On the 2nd December.—We find that the Mary Imrie on this day
while running down say about 80 miles* to the South and South East-
ward, before a terrific hurricane veering from the N.N.E. to the N. West-
ward, had her Bar. always falling, and was at 2 a. m.in another, and of
course a different centre from that of the Candahar’s storm of the day
proceding, for she was now perhaps 100 miles from that ship, This centre
gave her another hurricane af S. S. W. and Capt. Boyd’s description
of the sea is exactly what we should suppose the effect of a second storm
passing over any part of the sea left by one just preceding it to be. I
think it most probable that this second hurricane may have been the
Niagara and Fyzulbarry’s storm and have so marked it ; supposing the
Mary Imrie to have been in Lat. 9° 20’ and Long. 85° 00’ and the
centre a little to the Westward of her.
The Candahar, on this day had run to the North and N. W. round
the Eastern and North Eastern quadrants of her storm, while the Ver-
non, which ship had stood to the E. S. E. with the N. Easterly gale of
the preceding day, had a smart shift of wind of four points, as the
centre approached her, and a fall of 0.14 in her Bar. As the storm
however passed to the South of her, and she was bound to the North-
ward, she was soon out of its influence. We find also on this day that
a Westerly and N. Westerly storm prevailed at the stations on the
North end of Ceylon. To obviate confusion, I haye preferred consi-
* We must take this by guess having no log of the distance.
K
== a pie zr
ae
ed
66 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. [(No. 157.
dering the reports from Madras and Ceylon, for the Ist and 2d to-
gether.
First, in reference to the general effects of the storm on the Coast:
we shall observe on inspecting the chart, that there are at least two
storms on this day, the Mary Imrie, Niagara and Fyzulbarry’s being
one, and the Candahar’s another, travelling up on a N. Westerly
course more or less curving, apparently to the Westward, as
they approach each other,* and this bending by the way is a
very remarkable feature. The average distance of the centres of the
two storms from the coast we may call about 33 degrees. The Can-
dahar’s storm we know to have been of very small extent (taking
her position on this day as correct) as it is determined by the Vernon’s
which is certainly exact within the trifling distance arising from
the defects of all observations in bad weather. The Mary Imrie’s
storm we have admitted to be the Niagara’s on this day, and we shall
find that this projected will bring the circumference of her storm
to within two degrees of the North end of Ceylon, and that the joint
effect of both vorticsee would be to create a Northerly, and N. West-
erly wind, stream, or gale if their influence extended so far; and they
ought moreover to create a Northerly and N. Easterly stream at
Madras. Now we know that at Madras which is as far to the N. W.
as Kayto and Paumbum are to the West, and W.S. W. of the centres
of the Ist and 2d, there were also the indications of an approaching
storm in the increasing surf and slight fall of the Bar.t as well as the
North current, (see remarks on Capt. Biden’s report,) and that the
wind was from the North and North East on the 2d, and to 4 a.m.
on the 3rd, changing afterwards toS. E. From the effects of the ranges
of hills (and even mountains) between Madras and the north end of
Ceylon, it is impossible to go farther than to indicate generally what
the average effects of a storm would be, as every separate spur and
range would produce necessarily some local effect. On the coast we
have the effects of the storm current in the “ North current,” and we
have finally within these three days :——
* The Colonel Burney’s storm may have been a third for anything we know, and
it may be to it, that the Logs of the Carena and Bittern relate.
+ I should consider this slight fall of the Bar. as some evidence in favor of the
relation of the two storms and their bending to the Westward which I have sup-
posed.
1845. ] Eleventh Memoir of the Law of Storms in India. 67
lst, 2d and 3rd Nov.—The Bar. first falling, then about stationary,
and lastly rising again to its former level as if it had just felt the
storm, but no more. The indications at Ceylon on the 2d are clear-
ly those of a storm passing over the South extremity of the Peninsula,
and probably, if we had any reports from Tranquebar or between it,
and point Calymere we shall find that there really was a shzft there-
abouts, while the rapid veering at the station of Paumbum was taking
place. It is possible that the tendency of the whole aerial impulse,
like a storm or tide wave, was as usual, to force its way through the
Paulgatcherry pass, as shewn in my eighth Memoir.
I must not conclude this part of the summary without noticing the
remarkable fact of the Mary Imrie’s Bar. remaining so high, though
fluctuating greatly, in the first storm ; and in the second falling to 29°
25. It will be noticed and for the present I should suppose this is the
cause of this anomaly, that she was at the time her Bar. stood so high,
in the-N. West quadrant (having the wind at N.N.E.) of her first
storm, and she had thus both the effect of the verge of the coming storm
which sometimes and perhaps always, raises the Bar.* and also that of
the monsoon from the N. Eastern part of the Bay. The Ariel’s storm
in my sixth Memoir, Vol. p. 686 of Journal is another instance in which
this seems to have occurred with two storms coming up in different
diréctions and both at a considerable angle to the monsoon. We find
from the Vernon’s log that it was blowing a fresh monsoon from the
N.N.E. on this day. The oscillation I have frequently remarked
upon, and if Capt. Boyd had had a Sympiesometer on board, no
doubt the warning would have been still more distinctly given.
SF
Extract from the Log of the Ship Emity, Captain ANDERSON /rom
Shields to Calcutta, reduced to Crvil Time.
The following log reached me after the chart was lithographed ;
it will be seen by it that the Emily was skirting the Fyzulbarry’s
storm to the Eastward on the 27th and 28th, as the Winifred was to
the Westward. From the heights of the Emily’s Bar. we may infer
that she had really no part of the vortex but rather a heavy monsoon
* See Col. Reid quoting Mr. Redfield’s explanation of this pheenomenon. Second
edition p, 514 to 519.
68 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. {No. 157,
setting in, though on the 27th she is near enough to the Fyzul-
barry’s place to allow us to suppose that both were partaking of the
strong Easterly stream of wind which prevailed thereabouts on that
day.
The Emily was on the 6th November 1843, at noon, in Lat. 3°.40
N. Long. 91° .34’ (to 54’ by Lunars) East. Bar. 30.5 Ther. 85°, stand-
ing to the N. N. E. with variable N. N. W. to N. W, and N. Easter.
ly breezes to midnight.
27th November.—Increasing breeze N. E. b. E. to noon, when Lat.
5° 28. Long. 91° 46’ and 92°6'* Bar. 30.5 Ther. 83°. pv. m, strong breeze
East and sudden squalls. Ship standing 6 and 7 knots to the N. N.
W. and N. i W. Midnight the same, and increasing with incessant
rain.
28th November.—a. m. Thick cloudy weather, continued rain and
heavy squalls. Wind 2 a.m. E. S. E. ; at 6 East. Noon Lat. Obs. 7°
42’ N., Long. 91° 38’ E. Bar. 30.5 Ther. 81°. vp. m. Increasing breeze
and a high confused sea, wind E. b. N. Midnight heavy squalls.
29th November.—a. M. strong gales East with tremendous squalls
and a continuance of heavy rain, 8 a. m. wind N. E. b. E. Noon Lat.
Obs. 10° 17’ Long. 91° 3’ +91° 40' by 8 p. m. finer; out all reefs.
Wind N. E. b. E. and N, E.
30th November.—Increasing again from the N. E., noon Lat. 14°
13’ N. Long. 89° 40’ E. Bar. 70.00 Ther. 83°. p. m. hard gales East to
N. E. with tremendous heavy squalls and a high confused sea. Mid-
night, wind E. b. N. more moderate.
lst December.—a. m. Variable weather with squalls, wind about E.
N. E. Lat. 14° 13’ N., Long. 89 °44’ Bar. 30.10. Ther. 83° p. mu. squally
and torrents of rain. Wind about E. N, E.
2d December—Moderate from N.E. Lat. 15° 35’ N. Long. 89° 22’ E.
Concluding Remarks.
One of the first peculiarities which strikes us in considering the
storm in the Southern Hemisphere, is its almost stationary character,
* The several Longs. apparently Lunar brought on by Chr.
t 91° 30’ is probably meant here, giving a mean Long. of 91° 35! for the ship’s
place.
an
1845.] Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 69
as compared with the storms we have been accustomed to consider.
We find it moving only, Miles.
From the 26th to the 27th Nov. 60
Aajth 3h,u20th “t5),, 32
28th » 29th 3 135
29th = ,, 30th _,, 47
30th » lst Dee. 57
Or in five days, ......-. 331
Giving an average of per Day, -. 66-
Or per hour not more than 23
and this also on a singularly curved track.* This slow motion of the
storms here, if future researches should show it to be usual, will be a
new and curious fact, and will explain, not the frequency of their oc-
currence hereabouts, but the frequency of their being met with in the
track of the outward-bound ships and on the verge of the trade.t
With respect to the track itself; we have, I think clearly established
that it must first have moved up from the S.E. to the N. West-
ward and then curved away to the S. W. The exact position of the ships,
is of course liable to great errors after three, four, or five days of bad
weather or hurricane ; but still these errors are reducible to moderate
limits,and when we have ships on both sides of the storm, or ships on
one side and others at or close to the centres, we are very sure that our po-
sitions for these points from day to day cannot be very. far wrong ;
and certainly not far enough to invalidate our general conclusion as
to the extent of the space passed over by the storm in these five days.{
There are some other matters worthy of note which I take here
* The true track was in all probality a sharp curve passing near the different
points.
t Col. Reid remarks p. 241 that the Albion’s storm was apparently almost sta-
tionary or forming.
¢ See postcript for an extraordinary confirmation of the truth of our work, and of
these remarks, which were written months before the intelligence there given reached
me.
ee
—— -. —- ° —<—
70 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. ((No. 157.
in their natural order to direct the attention of future observers to
them, and these are: :
Atmospheric signs indicating the approach of the storm. The most
remarkable of these is the warning noise noticed by Captain
Rundle p. 32, to which I have there appended a note refer-
ring also to Journal Vol. XI. p. 1000 for another instance where it
was carefully noted, and I have heard it also on other occasions ; though
not noting it on the spot I will not refer more particularly to them.
It is exactly that sort of noise which we hear, and read of, in old houses
in England, and with which most of us are acquainted ; but we there
attribute it to the noise of the wind in the chimneys, or amongst the
trees, or, on board a ship to the rigging: yet here there can be no
doubt of its being distinctly heard at sea as the “‘ roaring and screaming”
of the wind in atyfoon or hurricane certainly is. My present theory
to account for itis this. I suppose the storm to be really formed
and to be “roaring and screaming’ at say 200 miles’ distance, and
that the noise, if not conveyed directly by the wind, may be so re-
flectively from the clouds, as in the case of thunder claps. A noise
is known on some parts of the coast of England by the name of ‘ the
calling of the sea’ as occurring in fine weather and announcing a
storm, and also in mountainous countries. All these may be con-
nected, and seamen may render great service to science and to them-
selves by noting these curious phoenomene. s
The sickly and dancing appearances of the stars, as noticed by
Captain Rundle is also remarkable but more easily explained, as we
may suppose the sickly (hazy) appearance to have arisen from the
atmosphere being loaded with vapour half condensed, and the
‘“‘dancing” to be occasioned by their appearing at times through
spaces and intervals somewhat less loaded with vapour wreaths.
If I am not mistaken the fixed light of a Light House has sometimes
this dancing motion, by the effect of small wreaths of vapour passing
before it, as at the breaking up ofa fog? The vibrating appearance
of distant objects seen through a telescope in the morning in tropi-
cal climates and owing to the different rarefactions of strata of air is
familiar to us all.
Phosphoric flashes in the water, are common enough in fine wea-
ther, but are nevertheless well worth noting; we do not yet know
1845. | Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 71
if more common in particular parts of the ocean, or at particular sea-
sons, or in particular weather than at others.
The appearances of the clouds are of special interest, for there can
be no doubt that many indications can be drawn from them of great
value, both to the careful mariner and to the man of science. The
remark of Captain Handley p. 14, shows the storm was forming to
the eastward of him, and those of Captain Rundle, both as to appear-
ance and motions are exceedingly interesting, as showing that there
were different currents prevailing above, probably from one part of the
storm or vortex over-reaching another.
The kind of lightning described by Captain Rundle, pis also worthy
of great attention : should this be found always to precede these storms
in particular latitudes it would be, in addition to other signs, of great
utility.*
The states of the Barometers and Sympiesometers of the various ships
both as relates to the approach of the storm, and to the manner in
which the instruments were affected every time the ships bore up, and,
tempted no doubt by the fair winds, ran down to the S. Westward and
thus neared the centre, is of peculiar interest ; and it is highly worthy of
remark that not one of them thought of running to the E. N. E. or
even N. E. while the wind and sea admitted of it, which was
the true course to steer, as may be seen by the chart and storm card.
They would thus have raised their Barometers and should have then
hauled gradually to the Southward, and South-westward, and so
have sailed round, and eventually out of it. In this point of view
the logs of the Fleming, Ainslie, Futtle Rozack, and Flowers of Ugie
are remarkable, and most instructive lessons for us. ‘These ships will
almost indeed, to the eye of the studious seaman, appear to be
manceuvring for the purpose of proving the value, the truth,—and I
will add the beauty,— of the Law of Storms.
* IT have found, while correcting this page, in the press asingle instance in which
this remarkable kind of lightning is described. It occurs in one of the replies
to a circular addressed at my suggestion by the Hon’ble the Court of Directors
E. I. C. to their retired Officers, requesting information on storms in the Indian Ocean
and Chinaseas, by Captain Jenkins, then commanding the H. C. Ship City of London:
who says, speaking of an approaching hurricane in March 1816, in Lat. 12° to 18° South
Long. 78° to 76’ East, for which, warned by his Bar., he was preparing. ‘‘ At 7, the
appearance of the atmosphere altered, constant vivid lightning, resembling in the dis-
tance the Northern lights with frequent hard gusts of wind,’ &c. We are not to
suppose from its being so unfrequently noticed that it is therefore of unusual occur-
rence; seamen are so accustomed to lightning that they rarely take the trouble to
describe it.
~1
bo
Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. [No. 157.
In the Northern Hemisphere.
We have principally to remark here on what we may call the
“‘ generation of separate storms” at short distances from each other so
analogous to what certainly occurred in the Calcutta storm of June
1842, though we might there suppose it to have been occasioned by
the influences of the land, as hills, valleys, &c., but it would now ap-
pear that the state of the atmosphere which induces one rotatory
storm often disposes, or gives rise to, others, just as after certain states
of summer weather in Europe, we hear of a succession of thunder
storms all over a large tract of country.
Thus we find that when the Fyzulbarry’s storm (a true rotatory
one) had travelled up from the S. Eastward two or three days, 27th
or 28th to the 30th, another storm appears to have commenced at four
degrees’ distance with the Candahar, which we trace accurately enough
through two days as travelling to the W. S. W. and if our conclu-
sions be correct as to the Niagara and Mary Imrie, that the Fyzul-
barry’s storm when approaching this of the Candahar’s, curved away
to the W. b. S. This looks strange enough, but whatever are the
causes of them, the dust whirlwinds on the plains of India, of which
I have seen as many as four or five at a time, certainly do influence
(repel) and alter each others tracks. We do not know if these arise from
the same cause, but it is the only analogous fact that I am acquaint-
ed with,* and the scientific reader will judge from the data set down
whether he thinks they are sufficient to entitle us to lay down the
tracks which I have here given. There is I think ne doubt of the
storms being altogether separate ones.
It is remarkable that all these forces and storms seem to have been
blended so as to produce one about Palks’ Passage, evidently travelling
to the Westward also, or rather generated like the other in advance
of those raging in the bay, for we find that the Ceylon storms all be-
gan on the Ist, when the nearest centre, that of the Candahar’s storm
was at least at three degrees of distance ; and it could not be part of
this, for the Vernon’s position limits it to the N. W. within a much
more circumscribed circle, and I am therefore inclined to believe that
at sea as on shore, independent vortexes arise like independent thunder
storms.
Postscript.
In the preliminary notice to this Memoir, I announced that I had ob-
tained from the Mauritius the detail of what I may call a beautiful expe-
* « It is possible that one storm may defect another says Col. Keid,’”’ p. 433, 2nd
Edition of his work.
en ee a
1845.] Bleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 73
riment, in which a vessel called the Charles Heddle was fully proving
for us there, the truth of the researches we were making here. The
following is the newspaper -notice of it, written by myself, which will
fully explain enough of this remarkable, or rather wonderful, fact and
coincidence of actual experiments with theory and with resurches
going on at thousands of miles distant.
“‘] have just received from Capt. Royer, the Master Attendant at
Mauritius, who, like every one else, was much staggered by the report
of the Charles Heddle’s circular sailings for so many days in a hurri-
cane, a number of logs, and with them her’s, which he has taken the
trouble to copy himself that there might be no mistake about it, and
you will learn with pleasure that I have fortunately just completed
a Memoir now printing, of which the evidence leaves no manner of
doubt as to the possibility of a fast sailing ship, that could scud well,
having really done what the Charles Heddle has; and it teaches us
moreover, by two perfectly independent storms, at more than a year’s
distance of time, and in quite different parts of the Southern Indian
Occean, that there are storms of great intensity, lasting for long periods
(in both cases five whole days) and which have yet so slow a progres-
sive motion that one might, comparatively speaking, almost term
them stationary storms. If you like to print this, for it is advan-
tageous now and then to draw attention to the subject, and to show
how much yet remains to be learnt, particularly with respect to the
storms of the Southern Hemisphere, here are some of the data as
briefly as I can give them.
First, from the accompanying chart (of this Memoir) you will see
that between the 26th of Nov. and Ist Dec. 1843, and between lati-
tudes 5° 30’ and 11° South and longitudes 83. to 89° East, there was a
hurricane raging for the whole five days, which, traced by the logs of
many ships, appears only to have travelled in that time, from point to
point of its centre, about 255 miles, or allowing for the curves about
a degree a day only.
The Charles Heddle, by her log now before me, appears to have
scudded from the 25th to the 28th February, 1845, for five whole days
round and round in a Hurricane circle! during which time she ran
upwards of thirteen hundred miles; the wind made with her five
complete revolutions, and from calculations derived from the dis-
tances and shifts of wind and the positions of the vessel, to have been
on an average about 50 miles from its centre ; which was slowly mov-
ing on, like the one of which I send you the chart, to the southwest-
ward, at not more than three miles an hour; and the direct distance
L
—_————
|
74 Eleventh Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. (No. 157.
made by her, from point to point, was but 354 miles. Now, if like
the Charles Heddle, any of our ships in this November storm had
scudded the whole time, they might undoubtedly have made much
such a set of circles as you see on my chart, and yet have made but a
trifle of direct distance in the whole five days; and in a word we can,
so to say, prove by this Memoir that there is nothing at all of romance
in her account, and that she has been performing for us a very curious
and beautiful experiment ; as cleverly as if she had been sent out to
do it! The investigation of this and the other Mauritius storms
for which I have data, will, I doubt not, lead to other equally im-
portant and curious facts in that dangerous quarter of which seamen
as yet know so little, but the difficulties and trouble of obtaining log
books are positively incredible.”
The value of this experiment as a proof of the circular theory
generally, if it requires any now, and of the truth of our researches I
need not dilate upon. In a future Memoir I trust to be able to bring
forward a great deal more in relation to the tracks and other peculiari-
ties of the storms of the Southern Hemisphere.
Notre.— While the last sheets of this Memoir were passing through the press, I obtain-
ed by the kindness of Capt. J, Viall, the log of the ship John Brightman, just arrived from
the Mauritius, and which ship it will berecollected was seen by the Fyzulbarry on
the 28th November, (page 14,) being bound to the Southward. This log, while it corro-
borates exactly the general direction of the track of the Fyzulbarry’s storm, enables us
to correct the place of the centre for the 29th, which being laid down from the log of
a single ship, without observation, is necessarily subject to error, though here as so fre-
quently before, the error does not amount to much, and all the relative data for
practical purposes on board either of the ships in the storm, would have been the same :
as for the management of a ship, what is required to be known, is the bearing of the
centre of the hurricane, and the track of the storm, provided there be ample sea room.
From midnight 27th November.—The John Brightman had heavy squally weather
and winds from Fast to E. S. E., and N. N. KE. She was at noon in Lat. 9° 48’ N.,
Long. 87° 44! E., Bar. at 29.63. (having been at 29.71. at noon 26th, since which time
she had run down South, and S. b. W., 138 miles.) p.m. wind E. b. S., and EK. S. E.
to midnight, when it was a strong gale with a tremendous cross sea, the vessel having
always run to the South and S. b. E. to midnight 56 miles. Bar. 29.58.
28th Nov.— Wind and weatherthe same, 7 a. Mm. wind E. N. E., Noonstrong gale and
high sea, Lat. indifferent Obs. 7.48 N., Long. 87° 48! E., p. m. wind BE. N. B., East,
and E. S. E. to midnight when Bar. 29.41. Ship’s run from noon between S. S. E. and
South 532 miles.
29th Nov.—Hard gales, squalls, and sea continuing as before from East, E. S. E.,
and KE. b. N., Noon more moderate, but weather looking very suspicious, Lat. Acct.
6° 03' N., Long. 87°58’ East. Bar. 29.30. Ther. 83°. Ship’s course from midnight
tonoon South to 8. S. E., 513 miles, p. m. wind veering from E. b. N. at noon, to N.
E.b. N., and N. W. to West, and by 4p. m. to W. b. S., light variable winds and
thick weather. At 2 p.m. breeze increasing, thick unsettled weather, Bar. 29.24. At
4p.M. fresh gales W. b, S. hove to. At heavy gales and vivid lightning with rain
and squalls, Bar. 29.28. Midnight Bar. 29.20.
30th Nov.—a. M. to noon hove to. Bar. rising to 29.36.; at noon Ther. 83°, wind
W.S. W. Lat. by indifft. Obs. and Acct. 5° 46’ N., Long. Acct. 88° 31! East., ep. M.
Wind S. W. and at 5 p. m. S. S. W., weather moderating. Midnight Bar. 29. 49, Wind
South at 5 p.m., and S. S. E. by noon Ist December when Lat. 5° 19/N., Long.
Chr, 90° 16’ E. Ther. 84°, Bar. 29.59.
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JOURNAL
OF THE
ASIATIC SOCIETY.
Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, a History of Sindh. By
Lieut. Postans.
Introduction.
The following translation of the most succinct, consistent, and continued
history of Sindh, which I have yet met with, has been made under the
idea that, intimately connected as we have become with that country, its
history cannot be otherwise than highly interesting, and that there are
many who may desire information on the subject. The author of the
‘¢ Toofut ul Kiram,” has in his 3rd vol. collected materials from the best
authorities; I have only omitted legends and stories, which have been
given elsewhere, (Bengal Asiatic Society’s Journal,) as also the histories of
holy Seers, Sheikhs, and Seyuds, they being alone interesting to the fol-
lowers of the prophet; for the rest I believe it to be nearly a literal ren-
dering of the text into English, with a few explanatory notes. I regret,
that want of time, and emergent public duty, will not allow me to do more
at present.
It will be seen that, with the exception of a very short period prior to
the Mahomedan conquest by Bin Cassim, in the first century of the Hejira,
we have no account of the country under its Hindoo rulers; and I regret
to say, that all efforts to procure any information on the subject have
hitherto proved unavailing. Had the Mahomedan historians sought for
materials, they might doubtless have been found, and thus the hiatus
between the expedition of Alexander, and that of the Khalif Walid, might
have been filled up, so as to throw some light upon a portion of the coun-
No. 158, No. 74, New Series. M
: oy
76 Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, [ No. 158.
try, rendered memorable by the great conqueror’s passage down the Indus.
As it is, we have a blank of nearly eleven centuries; and we only know,
from the description herewith given of the extent of country tributary to
the Sindh Rajahs or Rahis, that they were powerful princes, and that the
. kingdom of Sindh possessed in their time a degree of importance which
declined after its subjugation by the Moslems, when it became dismem-
bered, and fell a constant prey to succeeding conquerors.
From the period of the Mahomedans entering Sindh to the accession of
the present family of Zalpir chiefs, the chronological order of its various
rulers may be thus briefly given, and the number of dynasties during a
period of about 1200 years, affords a curious instance of eastern revolutions.
From Bin Cassim downwards, Sindh has fallen to the arms of the great-
est conquerors of the East.
Taken by the Khalif Walid.
Beni Oomhae,... age pil oe ae H. 493
Falls to the Abbasides, we. Bs we » bas
Subdued by Mahomed of Biiosiad “es » 416
Tribe of Sumrahs usurped the authority, ... » 446
Invaded by Jengiz Khan, ... gab = 19 1. GLO
Tributary to Delhi, ... ite Bs = » 694
18 Jams of the tribe of Simah,__..... ce +) wa hoe
; Conquered by Shah Beg Arghun, ... i 19. MOL
{ Divided between the Arghins and Tirkhans, i p20
Conquered by Akhbar under the Khan Kha-
nam, and ceases to be independent, “fs » . 999
Invasion of Nadir Shah, and annexation to
Persia, an » 1149
Kalora Chiefs are in . Sindh, tiiatdly. to
Cabul, “a Shiny 4 ,, 1166
Kaloras overthrown ” the Tadpaad ae, eA. 17g Go
Talpars cease to be tributary to Cabul, ... i, Gee
The downfall of the Kaloras during the time of Sir Afraz Khan (where
the manuscript ends,) and the rise of the present Talptr family, have been
so fully given elsewhere, that I do not annex the account to this transla-
fs * To this list we may now add, ‘* Conquered by Sir C. Napier, and annexed to British
India, by Lord Ellenborough,—A, D. 1843.”’—Ebs,
1845. ] a History of Sindh. a4
tion*. Of the languages of the country the Sindee has been described by
Mr. Wathen, and an excellent grammar, written by that gentleman, publish-
ed by Government}. ‘The Persian language is used by the higher classes,
and is that in which all the State correspondence and revenue accounts are
kept; most of the Hindoos of Upper Sindh speak it fluently, the result of
their intercourse with the natives of Affghanistan. A slight knowledge
of it will be found of very considerable service to individuals stationed in
- the country.
As connected with this translation, I would beg to refer all those desir-
ous of obtaining information on the inhabitants, cities (ancient and mo-
dern), and divisions of the country of Sindh, to the admirable papers pub-
lished in the Transactions of the Royal Geographical Society, and written
by the late Capt. Jas. McMurdo, “ An account of the country of Sindh, with
remarks on the state of society, manners, and customs of the people, &c.”
J. Postans,
Shikarpore, 5th July, 1841. Assistant Political Agent.
Sindh is one of the sixty-one divisions of the world, situated in the
four first climates, belonging chiefly to the second, and is in the same
region as the holy cities of Mecca and Medina; the river of Sindh
rises in the mountains of Cashmere, another joins it from the moun-
tains of Cabul, in Multan it is met by the river Sibine, and there
proceeds to the sea. Its water is very clear and cool: in the language
of the country it is called Hichrand ; all the rivers of Sindh flow towards
the south, where they empty themselves into the sea, such as the waters
of Pitab, Chinab, Sehae, Suttanpur and Bajawareah. The climate of
Sindh is delightful, its morning and evening cool: the country to the
north, hotter than that to the south; its inhabitants intelligent, and
of large stature.
Let it not be concealed, that whilst the people of Sindh were formerly
Authors of Sindh ignorant of the Persian and Arabic languages, no
— account as a compilation existed of those countries ;
but in the year 613 H., Alli Bin Ahmid, Bin Alli Bukur Kuji, an
inhabitant of Ooch, wandered to this valley, and arrived at the cities of
Bukur and Alor, where he saw the families of the great men and descen-
* See Dr. and Sir A. Burnes, and Sir H. Pottinger.
¢ A vocabulary by Capt. Eastwick, and a grammar and vocabulary of the Brahooi
and Beloochi languages, by Major Leech, have also been published in our Journal.—
EDs.
N
1
.
|
78 Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, [No. 158.
dants of the Arabs, and searched for accounts of the conquest of the
Moslems in all its particulars; he also became acquainted with Cazi
Ismail, Bin Alli, Bix Mamomed, Bin Moussa, Bin Jahir, and saw
in the possession of that great man a description in Arabic, written by
his ancestors, of the conquest of Sindh: this he translated into Persian.
After him, Meer Masoom Bukeri, and after him Meer Mahomed
Jahir Massiani, in the times of Akbar and Jihan-
The work known as_ gir, composed works, and also the “ Urghim Na-
wide Tene eae meh,” “ Jukhar Nameh,” and “ Byler Nameh” were
boa aol TRI Ng compiled. Subsequent to these no clear account
written by Meer Mig- existed (or no one was acquainted with affairs) up
ae: to my own time; by abbreviating and selecting
from various books, and by recording some new events, I trust it will
be found acceptable to all men.
Let it be understood, that according to what has been previously men-
tioned, the province of Sindh was so called from ‘‘ Szndh” (the brother
of Hindh, the son of Hoh) whose descendants from generation to genera-
tion governed in that country, and tribes without number came forth
and ruled, whose accounts are not recorded. From amongst these the
tribe of Nubuja, the men of Jak, and the tribe of Momzd ruled in their
turn : of these there are no detailed accounts, so that they pass on to the
last of the Rahis ; and after that they relate the histories of other classes.
The dynasty of the Rahis had their capital at Alor*, and the
Dynasty of the | boundaries of their dominions and possessions were
Saas to the eastward as far as Cashmir and Kimy,
westward to Mikran and the shore of the sea of Oman, 2. e. at the
Boundaries of their port of Derjul, to the south to the confines of the
pipes port of Surat, and to the north to Candahar,
and Seistan, with the hills of Sulliman, Kirwan and Kaijkanan.
1, Rahi Diwahij, a distinguished prince; his sway extended over the
boundaries described, and was absolute. The princes of Hind were in
treaties of friendship with him, and in all his territories the merchant
(Caravans) travelled in safety.
* The ruins of Alor are still to be seen about four miles from Roree; opinions
differ as to the river having at any period flowed in that direction, as stated in the
** Tooputal Kisum.’’ [I cannot learn that there are any traces of Hindoo architecture
to be found at Alor.
ee a ee
1845. ] | a History of Sindh. 79
2. When he died, his son Sahzras was exalted to the crown, and in
the steps of his father he for a long period enjoyed ease and prosperity :
after his death, his son,
3. Rahi Sahasz, succeeded happily to the high seat of empire and
the throne of Dominion ; he conducted his affairs prosperously, and
successfully followed out the institutions of his predecessors: after him,
his son,
4, Rahi Sahiras the 2nd, took his place. The king (of) Nimraz
brought a force against him; on learning this intelligence, he met
him in the country of Kich and prepared for battle ; from morning until
noon they were occupied in conflict, but by chance Sahiras was wound-
ed by an arrow in the neck and died. The king Nimraz despoiled his
camp and returned. The army of Sahiraz agreed together, and placed
his son Sahasi upon the throne.
5. Rahi Sahasi the Znd, excelled his ancestors in endowments and
good qualities ; in a short period he consolidated and settled his domi-
nions as far as their boundaries extended, and remained at his ease in
his capital. He ordained for his subjects in lieu of tax, that they
should fill up with earth (repair) six forts, viz. Ooch, Matilah, Siwarz,
Mud, Alor, and Seewistan.
They say he had a porter named Ae oi and a minister named Boid-
Introduction of the Brah- himan: one day a brahmin named Chach, son
mR arc ieee: of Silabig, distinguished amongst his class,
came ‘> Ram, and they became acquainted; the porter was well pleased
with him, and took him to the minister, after some time, and when
Chach was intimate with the minister, it so happened, that the latter
became sick, and the Rahi’s order arrived, to call the agents of the
provinces together: now since he (the minister) saw that Chach was
acute and intelligent, he sent him from himself to the Rahi, who
was in the inner apartment of the palace. His wife Rani Sohindi
wished to draw the veil, but the Rahi said what necessity can there
be for a veil before brahmins; and when the brahmin Chach entered,
Sahisi became delighted with his eloquence, and dictated his replies
to him ; so in time, when the ability of the brahmin became apparent
to the Rahi, he directed that in future the curtain should be dispen-
sed with in his favor, and that the necessary affairs of State should be
transacted in the inner department of the palace; at this juncture the
4a
80 Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, LNo. 158.
Rani became enamoured of Chach to distraction ; but notwithstanding
The Rani becomes ena- she sent messages, Chach would not consent
sania to her views, until his affairs prospered, and —
he had laid all classes under obligations for his favours and wisdom.
By the chance of fortune’s favours the Rahi Sahasi was attacked
with a mortal illness. The Rani called Chach, and said, ‘‘ The Rahi
has no children cr descendants, certainly his relations will be-
come heirs to the country, and it will not remain with you
and me; I will therefore devise some scheme, in order that the
throne may be secured to you:” to this he agreed. The Rani
Succession secured to Sent messages in various directions to the in-
ened by the Bagi. tent, that the Rahi Sahasz had become
convalescent, but had not strength to conduct his own affairs, (to
rise up); ‘some time has elapsed, and the affairs of the country were
in confusion, now he has directed and given his signet to Chach, who
is to sit in his place on the throne, and who will demand from you
the particulars and accounts of the important business of the State,
wherefore by all means let all of you be present :” all the rulers and
great men, in obedience to the summons, presented themselves, and
made their obeisance and bowed the knee to Chach. A short time after
the Rahi died ; the Rani’s first care was to conceal his death, and hav-
ing separately called those of the relations of Sahasz to the palace, who
had claims (on the succession,) under the pretence of explaining the
late Rahi’s will, she imprisoned (chained) them; then calling their
poorer connections, she said—‘‘I have arrested these claimants to the
throne on your account, each of you having his enemy here should
precede the assembly and kill him, and having taken possession of his
property and riches, let him become obedient to Chach; thus will he
attain all his wishes.” Thinking this the height of good fortune, these
people did as they were directed: the period occupied by the rule of
the five preceding Rajahs is 137 years, and then it descended to the
Brahmins.
1st.—Brahmin Chach Bin Silabij. When Chach after the manner
a cmcernen ol Hag described became sole heir to the throne, as ad-
vised by the Rani, he opened the doors of his treasury and bestowed
largely upon high and low; at length the Rani having accomplished her
ends, called together the nobles, head brahmins and great men, &c.
:
1845.4 a History of Sindh. 8l
directed them to make her lawful (as a wife) with Chach, and they
were married, (connected in that knot) accordingly.
The Rana Mithrut Chitoort, who was a relation of Sahasi, having
The Rana of Chittore beard this, collected and brought a countless
5 the throne with army by stratagem, and wrote to Chach
saying, ‘‘ What have brahmins to do with rule
or government; give me the authority, and you shall be reinstated in
your former appointment.”
Chach went himself to the Rani and said, ‘‘ A powerful enemy
has come forth—what do you advise ?” the Rani said, ‘‘ War is under-
stood by men, (but) if you will change places and apparel with
me, I will go forth and do battle with the enemy ;” Chach was afflicted
and distressed. The Rani, encouraging him, said, ‘‘ You have treasure,
quickly propitiate the soldiers, so that you be victorious.” Chach
immediately acted on this advice, and bestowed much wealth (on his
army)—he thus was prepared. Rana Mihrut arrived in the neighbour-
pate eee pitiore’s hood of Alor ; when the two armies met, Rana Mihrut
came forward, and said to Chach, ‘“* We are alone concerned in this quar-
rel, why should a multitude be needlessly destroyed ; advance and let us
make trial of our strength :” to this Chach replied, “1 am a Brahmin,
and cannot fight on horseback ; descend, and I will combat with
you.” Rana Mihrut alighted from his horse, and Chach directed his
groom to bring his horse slowly after him. Rana Mihrut being off his
guard from this excuse of Chach, left his horse behind : they met— Chach
sprang swiftly on his horse, and with one blow killed
Chach kills the |.
Rana and returns his ‘adversary. The Rana’s forces returned dis-
eee the pirited and discomfited, whilst the victorious Chach
returned to Alor. These affairs occurred about the first year of the
Hijera. In short, after the victory over Rana Mihrut, Chach took
counsel with the minister Budhiman, and appointed his own brother
Naib of Alor for the settlement of the dependencies thereof. One
Governors to coun. amed Muttah was sent to govern Sewistan, and
fies pppowmted by Akham Lohana, governor of Brahmanabad, and
Basar Bin Kakah having subdued some of the holders
of the forts in Sewistan (or Sibi,) as also some tribes of Sewis (the
Mae Yeicuine capital of their country being Kaka Raj,) and Chach
years. after having passed 40 years prosperously died, his
82 Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, [No. 158.
brother Chundur Bin Silabij was vice-regent of the empire. Muttah,
Chundur Bin Si- the governor of Sewistan, went to the Rahi of Kunnuj,
dabA- reporting Chach’s death, and saying, ‘‘ His brother is
now lieutenant of the empire, if you attempt it the possession of the
country will be an easy affair.” The Rahi sent his brother named
Basahis to Muttah ; and Chundur immediately on hearing this prepar-
ed to oppose his enemy, and pursued Muttah and Basahis through
various portions of his dominions up to the vicinity of Alor; they tried
various schemes, but at last failed. In short, he ( Chundur ) ruled pros-
perously, until the 8th year, when he died. After him, his nephew,
2nd.—Dahir Bin Chach, adorned the throne; his brother Dihir Sin
Dahir, son of Chach, he sent to Brahminabad as governor. One day he
Jad, Babin. _ inquired of the astrologers as to his fate ; they told
him there was no bad omen in it, “but with whomsoever your sister
marries he will succeed to Alor, and rule the country.” Through fear of
losing the country, Dahir contrived and married his own sister. His
brother Dihir Sin was vexed at this intelligence, and prepared a force,
Dihir Sin, his bro- and in time arrived at Alor, but died from small-pox ;
ther, rebels against
him : his death. Dahir caused him to be burnt, and proceeded to
Brahmanabad, where he married his wife (brother's) the daughter of
Akham Lohana, and remained there one year; and having appointed
the son of Dihir Sin, named Chach governor of Brahmanabad : he re-
turned to Alor, where he repaired the fort, which had only been half
completed by his father, and arranged that four months of the cold wea-
ther should be passed in Brahmanabad, and four months of spring at Alor.
In this way he occupied himself for eight years, and by degrees the affairs
of the State were settled satisfactorily.
In short, having fixed the boundaries of his dominions to the east,
he planted two cypress trees as a mark on the confines of.Cashmere,
and returned.
Accounts of the joining (assembling ) of the Allafi Arabs.
The learned in such matters relate, that during the time of the
Khalifat of Abodal Malk Bin Mirwa, when Hyjaj was governor of
the Iraks, and his designs were directed towards Sindh and Hind, he
sent a Seyud to Mikran, who killed Siffootc Bin Lam Himami; Abdul-
lah Bin Abdul Rihem, and Mah Bin Mokawyah called together the
a
1845. ] a History of Sindh. 83
Arabs of Beni Asamah, and represented, that ‘the Siffooi, who was one
of our tribe and people, has been killed unjustly ; we must assemble and
revenge him.”
In short, they acted on this suggestion, and killed the Seyud and
took possession of Mzkram; after some time they fled through fear to
Kharassan: Mujahameh Bin Seyud came to Kirman to conquer
Kharassan, and sent forward Abdyl Ruhman, Bin Ashahas. The
Allifis laid wait for him, and killed him; they fled to Sindh and came
The Allaf tribe of (2 U2” who, thinking them well adapted for the
Arabsare taken into police and protection of his country, took them
the service of Dahir.
into his own service. The above mentioned Allafis
were in Sindh until the coming of Bin Cassim, and the conquest of
that country, when having procured a promise of pardon, they joined
Bin Cassim. At length the princes of Hind having learnt the abso-
lute dominion of Dahir, agreed together that previous to his attempting
THE prineedlot Hix their conquest, they should take an army and
jealous of Dahir’s conquer his country, and according to the agree-
ee ment of the Rahis, Raht Ra Mal, governor of
Kunnuj collected a large force, and advanced upon Dahir and sur-
rounded Alor; Dahir was afflicted by his enemy, and asked advice of
the minister Budhiman, who said, ‘“* The Arabs are expert in battle,
entrust the affair to them.” Dahir came to Mahamed Allafi, and sought
his friendship (assistance) ; the latter said, ‘“‘ Be satis-
ae corn fied, bring not your forces, and direct that a deep —
of Kunnuj by astrata- ditch be dug to the length of a fursakh; cover it over
ents with grass, and leave it; after that, do as I direct.”
When Dahir had thus done, Mahamed Allafi, with 500 Arabs and Sin-
dees, picked men, made a night attack on the troops of Ran Mal: these
being taken by surprise and awaking confused, fell on each other and
destroyed themselves, and the illustrious Mahamed Allafi gave the
signal for flight ; the enemy, when they learnt that so small a force had
attacked them, pursued and fell into the ditch; now Dahir himself with
his force came out and took 80,000 men prisoners, and 50 war ele-
phants: according to the directions of Budhiman the minister, he set
them all free. Budhiman’s wisdom was proved, and Dahir lavished
his favors on him, and according to his entreaty, directed his name to
be struck on one side of the copper coins.
84 Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, [ No. 158.
From this victory Dahir’s position became strengthened, but the
surrounding provinces and states were dissatisfied, and nourished more
rebellion and sedition. He conducted the affairs of his country pros-
perously for 25 years, when his punishment was the loss of his kingdom,
as will be related with other circumstances.
Account of the capture of the Slave Girls of Sirundip.
They relate, that the country of Sirundip* is of the ruby islands; from
this had been sent some Abyssinian slaves with many valuable jewels
and curiosities for the Khalif and Hijjaj, in the care of confidential
servants in eight boats; by chance these were driven by a storm to the
port of Diwalt, in the sea of Oman ; robbers belonging to that place, of
the tribe of Nikamrah, seized these people, and the representations of
the agents of the king of Sirundip, that they were presents to the
Reason of the firsts Mohamedan Khalif, had no effect. They said, “ If
invasion of Sindhe = Your story is true, pay a ransom and procure re-
lease.” In that assemblage were certain women in the purity of Islam-
ism, who had intended making the Haj, and seeing the capital of the
Kalifs; and Hijjaj, one of these, cried out thrice, ‘“‘Oh Hijjaj! hear
our complaints.”
This intelligence was conveyed to Hijjaj; when he heard that the
women had complained thrice in his name, he replied, three times, ‘ I
attend,” and prepared to remedy the affair.
Account of the death of Bazil.
When Hijjaj Bin Yusaf prepared to release the Moslem captives, he
Fail thetat Me. represented to the Khalif, = sent a messenger with
homedan leader, sent threats to Dahir; the Khalif was unconcerned in the
against Sindh. : ; i ;
matter, and Dahir said, “ I am ignorant of the affair,
these robbers do not acknowledge my authority, they may have done
so or not; but you must judge.” On the receipt of this answer, Hijjajz
again represented to the Khalif, and obtained the required permission.
* Ceylon, thus proving a traffic between that place and Damascus.
¢ Is called from the Diwala, a temple for which it was famed. See Capt. McMurdo,
Transactions of Rl. Geog. Society.
1845. ] « History of Sindh. . 35
He appointed Abdul Allah Sullimah to Mikran, and ordered Bazil that
when he arrived at Mikran, he should collect 3,000 men and ad-
vance on Sindh. Bazil arrived at the Fort of Neirun, and threatened
Diwal ; Dahir having learnt this, sent his son Jaisisih with a large force
to Diwal; from noon to night they contended. Bazil, after the utmost
resistance, was killed, and many Moslems were captured. They say
Battle at Diwal, the governor of the Fort of Netrun*, who was named
and death of Bazil. Samant, became terrified, and said to himself, ‘I
guard the pass of the Arab forces into this country, they (the Sindees)
have thus opened the road of revenge to the Arabs, it may not be that I
should be crushed between the parties (hereafter) :” accordingly he sent
a confidential agent to Hijjaj and proffered his obedience, and obtained
pardon. Amur Bin Abdullah said to Hija, ‘‘ Commit this momentous
business to me, and I will proceed to Sindh and Hind ;” but he was
refused. Hijjaj said, ‘‘I have consulted the astrologers, and they report
that Sindh and Hind will fall t@ the hand of Mahomed Bin Cassim. In
Be Foe: pre- short, the period has now arrived for the setting of
ferred tothe command the star of the unbelievers, and the ascendency
of the Sindh Army, ;
of the religion of the prophet in those countries ;
this affair is more important than former undertakings, and must be
intrusted to Bin Cassim.” It shall soon be related from first to
last.
Here I proceed to relate the extraordinary birth connected with the
Story of Jaisisin, 2#Me of Jaisisih. They say the Rahi Dahir was
son of Dahir. one day hunting, suddenly a tiger sprung from the
jungle, Dahir stopped those who were running away, and himself pre-
pared to attack the beast. His wife at this time had been pregnant ten
months with Jaisisih, and being very fond of Dabir, and learning this
she cried out and swooned ; at length Dahir killed the tiger and re-
turned unhurt, but he found his wife dead: seeing the child moving in
her womb, he ordered her to be opened, and they brought out the
child ; and this name, which signifies ‘ the hunter of tigers,” was given
to him, and indeed when he became of years he was renowned for his
courage and intrepidity.
* Neiremkote, site of the present capital Hyderabad; this latter was founded by
Gholam Shah Kallnah.
0
ee ae oe _
?
86 Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, LNo. 158.
Accounts of the arrangement and arrival of the Moslem army for the
conquest of Sindh.
In true histories it is related, that during the Khalifat of the chief of the
Arrangement and true believers, Umur Bin Khotah, (God’s approval
SEG EER IO EEE Gone be on him,) when O’sman Bin Hés was appointed
quest of Sindh. governorof Barin, who having arrived at Oman, sent
some vessels properly equipped under Mughirah Bin Abul Has to Diwal ;
at that time the brother of Chach, named Samami Bin Salabij, was
governor of the place; he opposed the Mahomedans, and after a great
deal of slaughter Mighirah Bin Abul Has was killed, with many others,
also many prisoners were taken. Abu Mussa Ashghuri, who ruled in
Mikran, reported this circumstance to the Khalif,
ab Mae creat and wished to apply some remedy, but was prohibited
Lge Sindhand from collecting troops ; again at the time of the Khal-
lifat of the chief of the believers, Ashman Bin
Hassan (may God’s approval be towards him) Abdullah Bin Amir,
Bin Rubiahy became governor of Mikran, it was ordered that a confi-
dential agent should be sent to Sindh, to spy into and discover the
state of affairs. He sent Hakim Bin Hulliyah with directions to
make himself well informed of every thing and report thereon; the
Hakim said, that the water was black, the fruits were sour and poison-
ous, the ground stony, and the earth saline. The Khalif asked, what
he thought of the inhabitants ; he replied, ‘‘ They were faithless.” Thus
the preparation of a force from that quarter (Mikram) was abandon-
ed. Then in the Khalifat of the chief of the, true believers, Alli,
a force passed from Mikram, and victorious and successful arrived
at the hill of Kag-Kaman, which is one of the boundaries of Sindh,
20,000 hill men opposed theirs ; the Moslem army calling on the Most
High, began the attack, the noise of the shouts terrified the enemy,
who cried for quarter, whilst others fled. From that time on occa-
sions of conflict, the Moslem noise of calling on the Most High is
heard in those hills. The news of the death of the Khalif arrived,
and any further advance was stopped. The force above mentioned
returned to Mikram. When Mohawiyah obtained sovereignty, he
Mohanta prepares appointed Abdullah Bin Sawad with 4,000 men
a force for Sindh. for Sindh ; by chance they arrived at the hill of
Kag- Kaman, and were defeated by a large force of the unbelievers,
1845. ] a History of Sindh. 87
and at length returned and arrived at Mikram ; at that juncture, Zyad
was governor of the Iraks on the part of Mohawiyah, who wrote to
him to send Rashid Bin Oomur to Sindh, and he took possession of
the hill of Pageh, taking also the whole of the property found there.
Thus he also possessed himself of Kag-Kaman: he arrived at the
hills of Mamzur and Bihung; the hill men, to the number of 50,000,
assembled, and took possession of the passes ; from morning to evening
they fought desperately, Rashid was killed, and the Moslems defeated.
The repairing of this affair was deputed to Rashid Bin Salim, he
defeated the men of Kag-Kaman, and arrived in the territories of
‘Budyha, where he was killed. Then Munzir Bin Harut, Bin Bashar,
became governor of these provinces. He fell sick at Purabi, and died:
at this time also Mohawiyah died, and Mirwan succeeded him; in his
time no one was deputed to his enterprise until the time of Abdul
Malk; he gave the governorship of the Iraks to Hijjaj, who sent the
Seyud to Mikram; he, it so happened, was killed by the Allet/is as has
been before related, whereupon Hijjaj sent Mujjah to Kirman, to take
revenge upon the Allafis of Sindh; he died there in the distractions of
these times. Abdul Malk the Khalif died, and Walid succeeded him,
sending Mahomed Bin Haris to Mikram to settle the affairs of Hind
and the Allafis; he killed one of the Allafis, and in the space of five
months settled the country of Mikram satisfactorily, and took
possession of various districts. After that the circumstances of the
death of Bazil occurred as related, which increased the desire of revenge
in Hijjaj, and it was settled to send Bin Cassim Sukifi, as will be
related.
Relation of the arrival of Bin Cassim in Sindh, and account of the
victories which he there achieved.
After the circumstance of the death of Bazil Hijjaj Bin Yasaf, it
was represented to the Khalif that in Sindh insolence had obtained such
ascendency, and punishment was so loudly called for, that he must issue
his order for remedying these things, as also for the release of the
Moslem prisoners, and taking revenge for the rebellion of those unbe-
lievers, so that the country might be conquered. The Khalif replied,
“The country is distant and unproductive, the expence of collecting
forces will be ruinous, and only accomplished by oppression ; it is better
88 Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, [ No. 158.
to abandon the project, and pass it by.” Hzjaj continually repre-
sented, that by the permission of the Most High, and the protection
of the religion of the prophet, the infidels would soon be subdued, and
the prisoners of the faithful who, for so long a period had been con-
fined there, would be released, whilst the outlay for collecting an army
should be paid over and doubled by those who were its causes. The
Khalif being without option issued the order, and in the 92nd year of
the Hijera, Mahamed Bin Cassim, Bin Akib Sukfz,
The Khalif issues ¢ousin and son-in-law of Hijjaj Yasaf, and 17
the order for the sub-
jugation of Sindh in years old, made exertions, and they collected and
the 92nd year H.
sent with him 6,000 men from Sham and Irak.
They arrived at Shiraz, where they made the necessary preparations.
Hijjaj then sent five battering rams with the equipment for breaching
forts, in boats, in the care of Mughertah and Khizam, with a select
party. Thus they arrived at the port of Diwal, where they afterwards
joined him (Bin Cassim). In short, Bin Cassim with all his previous
and present forces, mustered 6,000 horse and 6,000 camels (of the
class known as “ Bukhtc)” to carry his baggage, and set out for Mik-
ran, and Mahamed Harun, notwithstanding the infirmity of his health,
accompanied him ; when they arrived at Mapilah, Harun by the decree
of the Almighty died, and was buried there. They relate, that at that
time Jaisisth the son of Dahir, was in the fort of Nezrun, and wrote to
his father the intelligence of the arrival of Bim Cassim: he consulted
the Allafis; they said, “The cousin of Hijjaj is coming with a large
army, do not oppose him.” Bin Cassim subdued Arman Bilah, and
proceeded towards Diwal; in the mean time Mugheriah and Khizan with
their party had arrived at Diwal, where they joined him. Bin Cassim
2p ail ac RIA pl ditch round Diwal and encamped ; he wrote
Diwal. intelligence of his arrival to Hijjajz. They say, that
the news reached Hijjaj in seven days, for such was the swiftness of the
messengers, that the intelligence of seven days’ date, from and to, was
daily received by each party. It is said, that in the fort of Diwal was a
temple (place of idols) 40 guz in height, and in it a dome 40 guz high,
_. and on the top of the dome a silken flag with four
The temple at Diwal J : ;
is considered asa talis- ends. The infidels in fear and dismay made no pre-
man for the protection
of the country. paration to fight: after some days a brahmin came
out from the fort and asked for safety ; he presented
1845. | a History of Sindh. — 89
himself to Bin Cassim, and said, ‘‘I learn from my books that this
country will be conquered by the Moslems, and the time has arrived,
and you are the man. I am come to shew you the way: those before
our times have constructed this temple as a talisman; until it is broken
your road will not be opened ; order some stratagem, so that the banner
on the dome may be thrown down.” Mahamed Bin Cassim bethought
him how he should accomplish this; the engineer with the Catapulta
said, “If you give me 10,000 dirhems I will agree by some means or
another to bring down the banner and dome in three blows, if not I
will have my hand cut off.” Mahamed Bin Cassim having obtained
Dome of the tem. Permission from Hyjaj, ordered the Catapulta to be
ple thrown down. = ysed, and by the help and power of the Almighty,
in three blows the work was accomplished, when the army of Islam
getting into ranks and order attacked the fort, and the infidels being
confounded were powerless and begged for quarter. Mahamed Cassim
directed, that none should be given, but to deliver up the place. The
Capture of Diwal S°VerMor threw himself from the breastwork, and
pd, bogey of the fled, and the people of the fort being helpless
opened the gates: for three days there was a mas-
sacre; they then brought out the Moslem prisoners, and captured im-
mense treasures and property ; they destroyed the temple of idols, which
was called Diwal after the place, and built a musjid. A man named
Kthilah, one of the infidels, was the keeper of the Moslem prisoners ;
when these were brought out it was discovered that he had exerted
himself greatly in their behalf, and was overjoyed at their release as
well as the victory of the army of Islam: Mahamed Cassim called
him and pressed him to embrace the true faith, and he became a Moslem.
After many honours and favours, he shared with Ahmed Bin Darah
Ndi the governorship of that place. At length, having satisfactorily
arranged the affairs of that quarter, and placed his battering rams in boats,
he started them by the river Sakurah to Neirun, and he himself proceeded
PiaCassian rdevetts by land in the same direction. They say that the
to Neirun. son of Dahir, Jaisisih, was formerly at Neirun, but
after hearing of the victory at Diwal, Dahir called him to Brahamana-
bad, and Samani the former governor of Neirun, who had procured
a certificate of pardon from Hijja7, as before mentioned in the account
of the death of Bazil, was with Dahir. Now when Mahamed Cassim
90 Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, [No. 158.
after seven days arrived in the vicinity of Neirun, the defenders of
the fort fastened the gates. The army of the Moslems were much dis-
tressed in the neighbourhood of Neirun for water, by reason of there
being no inundations; Mahamed Bin Cassim made applications to the
Most High, and they were immediately succeeded by a supply of rain,
and the springs and tanks of that part of the country overflowed like
fountains ; still there was a deficiency of forage: by good fortune, Sa-
mani arrived at Neirun, and sent his confidential agents with the cer-
tificate of pardon to Bin Cassim, and said, “I am
The governor yields f ; %
up the fort of Nei- the slave to be obedient, the reason of this omis-
si sion is, that during my absence the people in
the fort have closed the gates; I wish if you will pardon the fault
and warrant my safety to come and kiss your feet.” Bin Cassim
having paid due attention to those who had been sent, ordered “ That
it was necessary to punish those who had guarded the gates, but since
you have interceded, come have an interview, and open the gates.”
Samant having done so, took the keys with suitable presents, and
made his obeisance; he was favored, and provided every thing that
was required. At length the army of Islam entered the fort; they
destroyed the temples, and built musjids and minarets in their stead,
Governor appointed. Mouzzins and Imams were appointed, and Shunheh
was made governor of the place. Taking Samanz with him, Bin Cassim
advanced; when they had proceeded some distance from Nezrun at the
place called Mauj, Samani sent a letter to Bicharah, son of Chundur,
governor of Sewistan, thus: ‘“‘ We are not the men to bear force; this
Arab army is all powerful; there is no use in opposing them;
Governor of Sewis- 1 18 necessary to look after the interests of yourself
tan refuses to submit. and people, come and proffer your obedience, the
word of Bin Cassim is powerful, undoubtedly this is the best policy.”
Bicharah refused to accede to submission, but prepared for battle.
Thence the Moslem troops having advanced, reached the fort of
Sewistan ; one week was occupied in laying siege and attack; until
at length Bicharah becoming dispirited, fled and went to Budyah ;
Bin Kakah, Bin Kotah, who was governor of the castle of Sim
Mahamed Cassim entered the fort of Sewistan*, and took posses-
* Sewistan always means the modern Sehwan.
1845. | a History of Sindh. 9]
sion ; he favoured such persons as were brought to him by Samani, and
Bin Cassim enters then started for Sim. The forces of Budyah and
Peypetan. Bicharah prepared for opposition. The infidels went
to Kakah, Budyah’s father, and requested permission to make a night
attack. Kakah said, “1 know from the astrologers that the army of
Islam will conquer this country, and that the time has now arrived ;
do not entertain such ideas.” They would not be restrained, but pre-
pared for a night attack; it so happened that they lost the road and
dispersed into four parties, and although they wandered all night, they
found themselves in the morning near the gate of the fort of Sim.
Being afflicted they became penitent, and went to Kakah Chanah and
stated their case. He said, ‘‘ Do not think me less valiant than yourselves,
but I know for certain that there is no use in contending with these
men.” In short, Kakah went himself and proffered his obedience ; he
was received with favour, and obtained safety for his followers. Maha-
med Bin Cassim sent with him Abad al Mulk Bin Kies Aldaki, and
ordered them to bring all who would be obedient (to his sway,) and to
punish all who resisted. The Almighty gave them daily victories over
Bate cictories, the infidels, and at last these being frustrated, fled
the infidels proffer to the forts of Bultur Saluj and Kandail, when
obedience. eu} i‘
they solicited promises of safety and pardon, and,
agreeing to pay tribute, departed to their own country : at this time an
Hijjaj sends order order arrived from Hijjaj, that Mahamed Bin Cassim
to Bin Cassim to sub- ,
due Dahir. should return to Neirun to prepare to cope with
Dahir, and cross the river Mihran.
It is related that the tribe of Chanah, which at that time was a large
mie ichsar Chaush clan, collected from various places, and sent a per-
become obedient. son to bring intelligence (of the Moslems); he ar-
rived when the forces of the Arabs were arranged behind, Bin Cassim
engaged in prayer, and in their devotions obeying the postures of the
Moollah, he reported to his tribe, that those who could by thousands
be made to obey one man, it would be futile to oppose. Thus they
determined to declare allegiance to the Moslems, and after sending
suitable presents they arrived when Bin Cassim was at table, who
said ‘‘ This tribe is fortunate,” and they were ever after styled the tribe
of ‘ Chanah Mirzook,’ or ‘fortunate ;’ they then proffered their obedi-
ence and assistance of tribute, which was accepted, and they departed,
a —-~
92 Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, [No. 158.
and it was decreed that the land on that side of the river in the
possession of the tribe of Chanah, should be taxed at a tenth, the same
as that at Meirunkot, where the people had voluntarily tendered their
obedience. In short, pursuant to the orders of Hijjaj, Bin Cassim
returned, and having crossed the Mihran, arrived at the fort of Rawur
rseeibnekage eo and Jeyur, where he sent an order to the governor
cl lat joins Bin Mtikth Bin Bisayah to come and proffer his obe-
dience. He replied, “If Ido so I incur the displea-
sure of Dahir; in a certain place at uncertain time, I will come forward
with a certain number of troops; direct your men to attack me, and I
will appear to oppose them, and then allow myself to be taken
prisoner.” Thus did Mukih at that place become obedient, and was
taken into great favor: he shewed the road (to conquest.)
They relate that the Rahi Dahir, hearing of the power of the army
Dia iieatha of Islam, prepared with a large force to oppose the
passage of the Mos- passage of the river. A party of the Moslems were
lems on the Indus.
crossing, Dahir himself killed one with an arrow.
He left Jahamin Budah there, and himself retired ; Jahamin took such
strong possession of the passage of the river, that it became difficult.
At this junction Chundram Halah, who was formerly governor, seized
Bea onaiat Serie: Sewistan from a party of horsemen of the Moslems
yen who were left at that place. Mahamed Cassim
on hearing this, despatched Ussub Bin Abdul Rahim with a thousand
horse and 200 foot to Sewistan. Chundram prepared to oppose them,
and was defeated: he wished ta escape to the fort, but the fort gates
had in the mean time been closed, and he being frustrated, fell into
the hands of the Moslems and was killed, (sent to perdition.) The
Moslems then surrounded and took the fort, whence they rejoined Bin
Sewistan retaken, Cassim: Rah Dahir sent his son Jaisisih to the fort
ane Teme SOF Bae tb stop the road of the army of Islam ; about
50 days were thus passed, and the Moslems began to suffer want, such
The Moslems suf- horses as died of starvation were eaten. Dahir sent
fer for want of provi- : os ;
sions. a messenger saying, ‘“‘ The state of your army is thus
reported: if you wish well to yourselves I shall not oppose, but will
perform my service (become obedient,) and you had better return.”
Mahamed Bin Cassim replied, “ By the will of the Almighty, this
country shall be a Mahomedan country, and until you come and proffer
1845. | a History of Sindh. 93
obedience and pay the tribute of several years, I will never abandon my
intentions respecting you.” (I will never take my hands from you.) They
say that Hyyaj in hearing the news of the loss of the horses, des-
ap _ patched 2,000 others with strict injunctions not to
Hijjai sends rein- ’ ; f
forcements and orders delay in the important affairs of Dahir, but to pass
a the river quickly and settle them first. On the re-
ceipt of these injunctions, Mahamed Bin Cassim having arrived at
Juhum, directed them to collect boats for the passage of the river, and
to make a bridge. Maki Bin Bisayah collected several boats, and
Bridge of boats. _— filling them with sand and stones, and fastening
them with wedges, made them firm one to the other. On this intel-
ligence Dahir wrote to his son to arrest Mukti by some means for
his evincing such audacity. Rail the brother of Miki was with
Dahir, and having formerly been an enemy to his brother, said,
‘“‘ Entrust this order to me, and I will go and bring my brother; I will
moreover pledge myself to prevent the passage of the river.” At this
time, by the help of God, the army of Islam having prepared the boats
began to cross, and with showers of arrows dispersed the Infidels
who dared to oppose them on the opposite shore. A large party
arrived on the other side, and having cleared the shore of their
The Moslems cross enemies, took up a position, until the rest of the
ae ee army should have passed safely. It is said, that
swift horsemen of the unbelievers, by travelling all night, conveyed the
news to Dahir early the next morning: he was still asleep when they
announced it; the groom roused Dahir, who, when he awoke from a
tranquil sleep, was so much annoyed that he struck the messenger on
the face so heavily with his slipper, that he died immediately. In
short, Dahir being astonished and dismayed, knew not what to do:
when Mahamed Cassim had crossed the whole of his army, he pro-
claimed to his troops— “‘ The river is in our rear and the enemy in
Bin Cassim exhorts #FOHt: whoever is ready to yield his life, which act
his troops. will be rewarded with eternal felicity in such a
cause, let him remain and have the honor of conflict ; and any amongst
you who, on second consideration, does not feel able to oppose the
enemy, let him recollect that the road of flight is not open—he will
assuredly fall into the hands of the Infidels, or else be drowned in the
river, and thus suffer disgrace, which is the worst of all evils in religious
P
94 Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, [No. 158.
or worldly matters; but still, let these now take leave, for brave men
determine either to conquer or die.” Of the whole force only three
persons, one under a pretence of an unprotected mother, another of a
motherless daughter, and a third of want of means, left; the rest declared
they were only anxious for battle.
At length Mahamed Bin Cassim perceiving the unanimity of his
troops directed a march from that place, and from the fort of Bat
arrived at Rawur; he arrived at a place called Jeyur. Now between
Rawur and Jeyur there was a bay,.on passing which they came in
First view of Da- Sight of Dahir’s forces; Mohazar Bin Sabit Kisi
hir’s forces. with 2,000 and Mahamed Ziad Abdi with 1,000
troops, were directed to oppose them: they drove the enemy back. At
this time, Dahir called Mahomed Haris Allafi and represented, ‘“ For
advice in such a day as this have I protected you; now you must exert
yourself and take charge of the advanced party.” Mahomed Haris re-
plied, “‘Indeed I acknowledge that I ought to exert myself to the utmost,
but there is the necessity of opposing Mahomedans, and to become
The Allafi chief re. TeMegade, sell my religion for gold, to have on me
fuses to oppose the the blood of Mahomedans, and when I die to go to
army of Bin Cassim.
perdition; spare me, I pray you, the performance of
these tasks: any other duty I will perform with my life.” Dahir was
disconcerted, and remained silent. He sent Jazsisth with a large party of
troops to oppose the enemy, but after the loss of the greater portion he
was defeated and returned. The next day the brother of Mhz was ap-
pointed, but he secretly sent a message saying, ‘‘ Take me in battle as
you have done my brother :” and they did so. Thus for ten days in this
way the Infidel forces came out to battle, and, being defeated, returned.
In the meantime the victorious Moslems besieged Dahir in his own
Bil Caden Deslegss stronghold, and on the 11th day, which was Thurs-
Alor. day the 10th of the month Ramzan in the 93rd year
of the Hejira, Dahir notwithstanding the prohibitions of the astrologers
came out himself with a powerful force; he had 10,000 horse with
armour, and 30,000 foot with many war elephants, (on one of which)
Dahir gives battle. Dahir was seated in a howdah with two beautiful
girls handing him wine, and fanning him. They contended fiercely from
morning until night, and the Moslems so plied their rockets and arrows
that it could not be exceeded.
Y a |
a
1845. | a History of Sindh. 95
At first the army of Islam became confused ; Mahamed Bin Cassim
became alarmed, and offered up prayers to the Most High, who favored
him, and gave him at length the victory. They relate, that Bin Dahir
had at all times during the battle an iron mace in his hand, with
which he cleft the head of every horseman against whom he launched
it; but at length on the approach of the Arabs, when he wished to leave
the battle, the war elephants became frightened at the rockets of the
Moslem troops, and fell amongst their own soldiers, who were thus
destroyed. A party of the Infidels demanded quarter, and said ‘‘ The
army of Dahir is now confident and careless ; give us troops and we
fer of the lui: will take them in the rear, and break their pride and
dels desert. strength.” In this way the ground was cleared and
the enemy broken.
By the power of the Almighty an arrow struck Dahir in the neck
Death of Dahir. and killed him ; they drew his elephant to the rear,
but by chance the elephant stuck in the mud of the river, and they all
tried to conceal the King’s position. The army of the Infidels being de-
feated, the Moslems so guarded all the approaches that a bird could not
have flown past. The Brahmins fell into the hands of Kezss, and to
preserve their own lives reported the death of Dahir. At this time
the two daughters of Dahir were captured by the Mos-
Certain Brahmins ‘
reported the death of Jem troops. Mahamed Bin Cassim fearing lest
ge Dahir should escape, caused a proclamation to be
issued, that they should close to the rear to prevent the concealment of
the enemy. Keiss hearing the proclamation called aloud on the Most High
after the Mahomedan fashion, and the whole army taking it up, Bin
Cassim became aware of the death of Dahir. He came with some of his
warriors to the edge of the mud, and on the testimony of the Brahmins
took the polluted body out; he cut off the head and stuck it on a spear,
The body of Dahit shewing it to the daughters for their confirmation
discovered. (of his death). He then directed, that the army
should occupy itself all night in prayer and thanksgiving for the
Divine favour, and in the morning of Friday he sent Dahir’s head with
his two daughters to the gate of the Fort. The defenders of the gar-
rison declared it was false. Sadi the wife of Dahir, having from the top
of the palace seen the head of her husband, became insensible, and ut-
tering a loud cry, threw herself off (the palace:) in short, the people in the
96 Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, [No. 158.
fort opened the gates, and the Moslem army entered, and having erected
The Musto aany’2 sort of pulpit in the temple, performed the prayers
enter Alor. of Friday. They then took possession of the riches
and property of every kind, and constituted Keiss the keeper of these.
In the beginning of the month Shawal after the settlement of all that
territory, they sent the head of Dahir with his daughters, the prisoners,
and the wealth with 40 horsemen accompanied by Keiss to the Khali-
Dahir ruled for 33 fat capital. The period of the rule of Dahir was 33
Lee oa Pee years, and the whole time occupied by the dynasty
of the Brahmins was 92 years.
It is related, that after the death of Dahir the men of Samah from the
neighbourhood of Thurri* having collected, came with tabours and
clarions and proffered their allegiance, and began to dance: Maha-
med Cassim asked who they were, and what they were doing. They
replied, ‘‘ This is our custom, that when a Monarch is victorious, we
thus testify our joy.” They returned. And the Bhattias, Lohanas, Sa-
hutahs, Jundurs, Machees, and Kurejurs}, introduced by Alli Maha-
pribes* Wwe Pay med Bin Abdul Rihman, came to pay their respects,
hemiaee to Bin Cas- with head and feet bare. After their pardon had been
pronounced, it was decreed that whenever any of the
Mahomedans should come from the Capital of the Khalifs or go in that
direction, these tribes should be their guides and be answerable for
their safety.
Then Mahamed Bin Cassim, with the sanction of Hijjaj, took to wife
the sister of Dahir, (whom the latter had married through fear of
losing his country, ) and proceeded to acquire other territories. At this
Sons of Dahir re. time at the commencement of the year 94, it was
bel. announced that the sons of Dahir had possessed
themselves of the fort of. ‘ Sikunday,” and had assumed indepen-
dance. Mahamed Cassim proceeded in that direction, and endea-
voured to reduce the fort; after many engagements he took complete
possession, destroyed the temples, and laid the foundation of Mus-
Jids, and directed certain punishments to be inflicted on the inha-
* Thurr ov Thulli the little desert separating Sindh from Cutch.
t These last are Jhutts, the cultivators of the soil and rearers of cattle in contra-
distinction to the Beloochees who are foreigners; they are doubtless the aboriginal
Hindoos converted to Islamism.
1845. | a History of Sindh. 97
bitants. He also in the same way subdued Barhamanabad ; they
say that one day Mahamed Cassim was sitting, when an assemblage
The Bratiins repre- of Brahmins, about 1,000 in number with their
Pe teh "ralinios heads and faces shaven, came into the camp. On
customs: the same enquiring their case, he learnt that they were
Sal: mourning for their chiefs as is their custom. Hav-
ing called them, on the advice of Sadi the wife of Dahir, he sent
them all as formerly to be collectors in the districts. In their helpless-
ness they represented that they were a class of idol worshippers, and
belonged to idol temples: ‘‘ Now we have accepted obedience to you, and
acknowledge our amenability to tribute, you must give us leave to
erect our places of worship elsewhere, and to pray for the prosperity
of the Khalif.” Mahamed Cassim, after having represented the case to
Hiujaj, who reported it to the Khalif, gave the permission required,
that they should act according to the usages of their ancient faith.
He then ordered that, to distinguish them from other Hindoos, they
should carry in their hands a small vessel of grain as mendicants, and
should beg from door to door every morning. This custom still re-
mains, and all the Brahmins carry the khulsal.
It is related, that when Hijja7 heard of the conquest of the fort of
Szkundar and Barhamanabad, he wrote to Mahamed Cassim, ‘ Since
by the blessing of the Almighty, Dahir and his country had been
taken, you must also take the Capital city; and not rest satisfied with
that, but turn to the east and proceed towards Hind, and by the blessing
of the Mahomedan religion it will every where protect the Moslems.
On this order, Mahamed Cassim set about the settlement of Alor.
_ In the disorder of affairs, news arrived that a son of
The sons of Dahir :
take possession of Alor, Dahir was strong at Alor, having denied the death
ae pbs fleath of | of Dahir, and reporting that he was only lost
from his troops, and had gone towards Hindostan
whence he would soon arrive with an army and take revenge. So
implicitly did he believe this, that whoever mentioned the killing of
his father to him, was destroyed. Thus few alluded to the subject in
his presence. He called to him his brothers Jaisisih and Wukiah,
who in the tumult of affairs had been dispersed. Bin Cassim proceeded
in that direction, and besieged the fort of Alor; he sent Sadi the wife
of Dahir to the gate of the fort, in order that she might explain the
95 Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, [No. 158.
death of Dahir. They called her a liar and stoned her, saying ‘‘ You
have become one of the eaters of cows.” The siege was prosecuted,
and the inhabitants of Alor soon began to suffer for want of food;
they meditated surrender, Fuji began to think that there was no chance
of his succeeding, but a false hope prevented his withdrawing. They
say, that there was a sorceress in that place; they requested her to
give them intelligence of the death of Dahir. This woman, whose name
was Jokiz, asked for one night’s delay, and after that she came into the
presence of Fuji with two green branches of Jow and Filful trees
and said, ‘“‘I have searched every span of earth from Sirundip, and
have brought this reply, that if Dahir were alive I should certainly
have seen him; do not entertain the idea, and do not heedlessly and
unprofitably doom yourself to destruction.” When Fuji knew for cer-
tain from the sorceress, and became convinced of the death of Dahir,
he left the fort at night and fled to his brothers whom he had called
to him, but who had not yet arrived. In the morning the Allafis sent
the intelligence by letter to Mahamed Cassim, and called for a promise
Bin Cassim enters °! Pardon for themselves ; they directed the holders of
Alor. the fort to open it, and Mahamed Cassim with his vic-
torious army entered the city. He saw a large assemblage of the people
prostrating themselves in the place of worship ; he asked what they were
doing, he learnt that they were paying adoration to an idol, and entering
the temple he saw a well-formed figure of a man on horseback: he drew his
sword to strike him, but those who were near him cried out, “It is an
idol and not a living being.” Making way for Mahamed Cassim he
advanced to the Idol, and taking off one of his gauntlets he said to the
ae destehiceprowen? spectators, ‘‘ See in the hand of the Idol there is this
es the idolaters. one gauntlet; ask him what he has done with the
other.” They replied, ‘‘ What should an Idol know of these things.” Bin
Cassim said, yours is a curious object of worship, who knows nothing
even of himself. They were ashamed at this rebuke. In short, after
the capture of Alor which was the capital of the country, the rest of the
dependencies became tranquil, all the inhabitants were grateful to Bin
Cassim*, and pursued their former avocations. He appointed Hurin
* There is an apparent inconsistency in our author here, for he tells us that Alor
was taken by Bin Cassim when Dahir was overthrown, and does not account for the
Rajah’s sons getting possession of it, and its being necessary to recapture it. Bin
i ae
ee ee ee — Se ee ee ae
Sa ee ee se
1845. ] a History of Sindh. 99
Bin Keiss, Bin Rowah Assidi, to the governorship of Alor, and the
eartus Sbyaniins rank of Cazi he conferred on Mussa Bin Yakrib, Bin
appointed. Tahi, Bin Nishban, Bin Ashman Sakufi, and he ap-
pointed Widah Bin Ahmid al Nydi to the command of Barhamanabad,
and Nobah bin Daras to the fort of Rawur, and the country of Korah
he gave to Bazil Bin Hillazuwi. Then he turned towards Multan ; and
in the course of the journey, at the fort of Bahiyah, Kulsur Bin
Chundur, Bin Tillabij a cousin of Dahir’s, who had been at enmity
with Dahir, and was remaining at that place, came out and tendered
his allegiance. After that, they conquered the fort of Sukkur, and
Atia Bin Jamahi was left there as Governor, and having seized
Multan with its dependencies and fortified places, Khazimah Bin Abdul
Mulk, Bin Jumim was left at Mahpur, and Daud Bin Mussarpur, Bin
Walid Himmani, was appointed to Multan. Mahamed Cassim then
Mahamed Cassim Proceeded towards Dibalpur, and he had at that
extends his conquests. time nearly 50,000 horse and foot under his ban-
ners, independent of his former regular army; in short, he conquered
as far as the confines of Kunnoj and Cashmir, and saw those two
cypress trees which had been placed by Dahir.
Everywhere he left trust-worthy agents and returned to Yassur*
where it was decreed by fate that his life should terminate.
( To be continued. )
Cassim had otherwise proved himself too good a General not to have provided for the
security of the Capital of the country when once in his power to render its falling into
the hands of the enemy at all likely.
* In the Chach Nameh ‘‘ Hadapoor.”’
100
Védanta-Sara, or Essence of the Vedanta, an introduction into the
Védénta Philosophy by Sadénanda Parivrajakdcharya, trans-
lated from the original Sanscrit by E. Roxrr, Librarian to the
Asiatic Society of Bengal.
PREFACE.
Of the Véddnta-Sara two translations have already been published,
one by Mr. Ward, (in his work View of the History, Literature and
Mythology of the Hindoos) and the other in the German language,
by the late Professor O. Frank. Ward’s translation, which is evident-
ly not taken from the Sanscrit, is very far from conveying a fair like-
ness of the original to the reader, and I need only quote the opinion
of Colebrooke with regard to it, to prove its entire failure as a correct
rendering of the original*.
The German for which we are indebted to O. Frank, was published
together with the original text, in 1835 ; but, however creditable it is to
the author, it is also inexact as atranslation. Although a good Sanscrit
scholar, and one of the first in Europe, who devoted his talents to that
language, he had to struggle with the difficulty of ascertaining the real
value of its technical terms, a difficulty which he had hardly the means
of removing; for in Professor Wilson’s excellent Sanscrit Dictionary,
only a few philosophical terms are explained, and without an expla-
nation of such terms by pundits, or an extensive course of reading, the
* Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society Vol. II, p. 9. note. Mr. Ward has given,
in the fourth volume of his View of the History, Literature and Mythology of the
Hindoos (third edition, ) a translation of the Védanta-Sara. I wish to speak as gently
as I can of Mr. Ward’s performance, but having collated this, I am bound to say,
it is no version of the original text, and seems to have been made from an oral expo-
sition through the medium of a different language, probably the Bengalese. ‘This
will be evident to the Oriental Scholar on the slightest comparison, for example the
introduction, which does not correspond with the original in so much as a single word,
the name of the author’s preceptor alone excepted ; nor is there a word of the trans-
lated introduction countenanced by any of the commentaries. At the commence-
ment of the treatise too, where the requisite qualifications of a student are enumerat-
ed, Mr. Ward makes his author say, that a person, possessing those qualifications,
is an heir to the Veda; there is no term in the text, nor in the commentaries, which
could suggest the notion of heir, unless Mr. Ward has so translated adhicari, (a com-
petent or qualified person) which in Bengalese signifies proprietor, or with the epithet
uttara, uttara adhicari, heir or successor. It would be needless to pursue the com-
parison further. The meaning of the original is certainly not to be gathered from
such translations as this,and (as Mr. Ward terms them) of other principal works of
the Hindoos, which he has presented to the public.
1845.] Védanta-Sara, or Essence of the Vedanta. 101
exact metaphysical meaning of them must remain problematical. Be-
sides O. Frank is the disciple of a particular philosophical school, that
of Hegel, and has very often coloured the ideas of the original so as to
correspond with his own system. I hope, therefore, that I have not
undertaken a useless task, in bringing before the public a third trans-
lation, in which it has been my constant endeavor to render the original
as faithfully as possible. For the language of this translation, I have
as a foreigner to solicit the indulgence of the reader ; and, independently
of other considerations, it will be remembered, that English in itself
presents difficulties, in rendermg with exactitude the real force and
meaning of Sanscrit philosophical terms. As regards, however, the
language of the preface, I am much indebted to the valuable assistance
of Mr. H. Torrens, V. P. and Secretary to the Asiatic Society, and
I take this opportunity of acknowledging my great obligations to him.
In publishing this translation, it is my principal object to attract the
attention of the public once more to a branch of Hindoo learning,
which, successfully cultivated as it was by Colebrooke, has been of late
almost entirely neglected. The researches of that eminent scholar, as
in other departments, were also with regard to the philosophy of the
Hindoos, of the most comprehensive character. He not only gave a
general sketch of the different systems of their philosophy, but also
a critical introduction into this branch of Hindoo literature, almost
entirely unknown before his day. As his labors then created extensive
interest in Europe, it is much to be regretted, that these researches
were afterwards but lamely followed up. The Germans indeed did as
much as the want of material allowed them. I here allude to the
researches of the two Schlegels (Fr. and A. W. von) W. V. Humboldt,
Ritter, (in his History of Philosophy) O. Frank, Lassen and others, who
published either original texts, or translations, or critical treatises.
But however meritorious these labors were, most of them, as founded
upon Colebrooke’s works, could not much enlarge our information on
Hindoo philosophy. For this object the publication of Sanscrit texts,
or translations was necessary, which were looked for chiefly from India
and England. Here, however, it appears, that the interest in Hindoo
philosophy was only enforced by the name of Colebrooke, as with him
almost all further investigation ceased; for, with the exception of
Professor Wilson, who edited Colebrooke’s translation of the Sankhya
Q
102 Védanta-Sara, or Essence of the Vedanta. [No. 158.
Karika, and translated the native commentaries on this work, no one
has published any work of importance with regard to Hindoo philosophy.
Without endeavoring here to enlarge on the causes of this neglect, I
must not omit to touch on the principal one—the want of encourage-
ment, with which philosophical researches are met in England. The
study of philosophy is of its very nature adapted but to few; but even
they will be deterred from it, if that part of the public, to which they
are to communicate the results of their enquiries, is totally indifferent
to them. If philosophy generally be but in little repute in England,
it ig easy to conclude, what must be the neglect of the systems of the
Hindoos in particular, which, it appears, are entirely superseded by the
much more elaborate systems of Europe. The Hindoos, it is said, are
acute enough in nominal distinctions, but their enquiries, originating
from an absurd and gross superstition, recur only to this root, instead
of explaining the phenomena of nature. Without entering into a full
discussion of this subject, I may be allowed to observe, that this view
would at once destroy all historical study. On account of their histori-
cal interest, we not only direct our attention to the works of Grecian
art, but also to those of Egypt, Etruria, Persia, Peru and of other coun-
tries, because they show us the characters of those nations in different
states of civilization. If these possess a general interest, Hindoo philo-
sophy is a monument, which must claim the attention of every enquiring
mind, as it reveals to us the inmost character of the nation, closely in-
terwoven as it is with all institutions of public and domestic life, with
their literature, religion and their views of the means, by which their moral
welfare might be advanced or retarded. But waiving this general inter-
est, we must be aware of the connexion of Hindoo philosophy with the
development of European science, by the new platonic philosophy, which
evidently contains the principles and results of Hindoo philosophy, a
connexion which can be only fully understood, when we know more of
the history of the Hindoo systems.*
The Védanta-Sara is an abstract of the doctrines of the Védanta
philosophy, and expounds more particularly those tenets which are
ascribed by Colebrooke to the modern branch of this school. It com-
prehends in a very condensed form the whole range of the topics, which
are discussed more fully in the different works of this school. The ob-
* Ritter’s Geschichte der Philosophie. Vol. 4, p. 44.
a
1845.] Védanta- Sara, or Essence of the Védanta. 103
scurity, which prevails in some passages, is rather owing to the concen-
tration than to the indistinctness of the ideas. The principles of the
system are clearly laid down, and though in a few passages there is a
deviation from them, they are never lost sight of. Other philosophical
systems are only touched upon, when it is the object to prove their
principles to be entirely inconsistent with themselves and with each
other. ‘The demonstrations, though short, are perspicuous, and some-
times even elegant. The illustrations are generally well selected and
striking ; and, if we consider the work to be rather of a descriptive than
of a argumentative character, we must acknowledge, that it is a most
excellent introduction to the study of that philosophy.
The following exposition is intended to place before the reader the
chief metaphysical topics of this work and to compare the doctrines,
explained in it, with those philosophical systems, Hindoo as well as
European, with which it has an affinity in its principles. There exists
according to it only one eternal and unchangeable being, who has the
attributes of existence and consciousness. The manifold distinctions
in what may be called, the material and intellectual worlds, are toge-
ther with those worlds, mere <dwAa, produced by unconsciousness,*
(which objective is something analogous with matter, and subjective :
a want of clear perception of the unreality of all material objects.)
For example, if you reflect on the reality of the world, you find it has (
none, because it is changeable throughout; all reality is centred in
one being, who is beyond change, and concerning whom there is not
even change or plurality of ideas, as it includes no distinctions in it-
self. Thus of the supposed reality of the world, nothing remains;
naught exists but mere gwAa, which, in contradistinction with the )
knowledge of Brahma (or of the infinite being without plurality,) may be :
called ignorance or unconsciousness, It is the principal work of philoso- :
phy to destroy this ignorance, or to unite our finite being with the infinite
Brahma, or in the words of the Védanta, to know ourselves as Brahma. It
* The words consciousness and unconsciousness do not express the full meaning
of the corresponding Sanscrit words. Consciousness means the knowledge of what
passes in the mind, that is, a reflected knowledge, while the Sanscrit term refers to
knowledge in general. As Colebrooke, however, has used in his essay those words,
I thought it better not to introduce another terminology, and have only to remind
the reader, that consciousness and unconsciousness are here always to be understood
in the more comprehensive sense.
ae al
104 Védanta- Sara, or Essence of the Védania. [No. 158.
is, however, impossible for any individual immediately to obtain this true
knowledge, as any idea, which we may conceive of Brahma, previous to
the performance of the conditions, conducive to that knowledge, must be
one of the various illusions, which are created by ignorance in our minds.
The true knowledge can only be obtained by a systematic method,
which is twofold, theoretical and practical. The theoretical method is
the direction of there flective power upon Brahma, and it proceeds first
synthetically from the infinite substance to the ¢/§w)a Or appearances,
showing the various modes, in which Brahma is successively represented
by unconsciousness ; and secondly analytically, from the manifold crea-
tions of unconsciousness to the infinite substance, successively showing
the unreality of them and returning to Bramha as the only source of
reality. The practical method presents the means, by which our senses,
passions, and thoughts are subdued; the mind is gradually detached
from worldly concerns, directed to the performance of good acts alone,
and finally fixed upon the contemplation of God.
It is remarkable, how in the principle itself the fallacy of the system
is manifest. If Bramha be the only real being, all other things (materi-
al or immaterial) are unreal, and this inference is expressly recognized,
there should be not even the appearance of an existence of them ;
but it is also said, that those things must not be considered as nothing ;
so that they have, to say so, a kind of imperfect existence, but still an
existence, which cannot be derived from the infinite Bramha. In short,
there is not one principle, but, against the express assertion of the Vé-
danta, two principles, the infinite, unchangeable, omniscient being, and
the finite, changeable and unconscious being. This is also evident from
the consequences ; for the world or its appearance is not produced either
by Bramha or by unconsciousness, but by their mutual causality ; for in
Bramha only, when clouded by the mists of ignorance, is the spectacle
of a world produced. According to this exposition of the theory, which
must, I think, be allowed to be correct, Bramha would coincide with the
notion, which occidental philosophers form of substance, and uncon-
sciousness with that of attributes and modes.
What is called unconsciousness, has, however, a twofold meaning ;
according to one, it is delusive appearance, by which unreal things are
represented as real; according to the other, it is the origin of the
actual world. We shall consider only this second meaning, which we
1845. ] Védanta-Sara, or Essence of the Vedanta. 105
will endeavour clearly to define. It is evident, that an adequate notion
of that origin can only be obtained from its productions, as the nature
of the cause is perceived by the nature of its effects, and this mode of
inference we may the more insist upon, as the inductive process is re-
commended by the system as one of the means, whereby to arrive at true
knowledge. Now the Védantists hold, that unconsciousness causes the
emanation of five elements, ether (dkasa,) air, fire, water and earth.
These elements, though subtile and imperceptible to the senses, have
material qualities, and are therefore themselves special kinds of matter.
To know their origin, we have then to divest them of their special
qualities, by which we arrive at the notion of matter in general
(separated from all differences of space and time,) and we must therefore
say, that unconsciousness and the general notion of matter are virtually
the same, a necessary inference, however, but one which the Védan-
tists took care to avoid, because the vague notion of unconsciousness
suited admirably as a cloak to the radical error of their system.
As it is here my object to place before the reader the most prominent
characteristics only of the system, I am not to enter into the various
emanations from unconsciousness, but will at once state the opinion,
which the Védanta forms as to the highest form of knowledge, to which
the individual mind can aspire, and which in fact is a consequence, ne-
cessarily derived from the first principles of the system. When we have
perceived, that all the emanations of unconsciousness are unreal, when
we are able to distinguish in the universal as well as in the individual
soul, that which is real and eternal from the unreal and the transient,
then is our notion of Bramha firmly and adequately established, in the
knowledge, that the individual soul is the same with the eternal Bramha,
as the differences, which at first sight seemed to exist between them,
became gradually destroyed by the progress of reflection. But even
this adequate notion of Bramha, as an act of the mind, is included in
the emanations of unconsciousness, and it is therefore an unavoidable
inference, that this act also, when once arrived at, should be destroyed
as one, though the purest and highest, of the emanations of unconscious-
ness, when the individual soul, comprehending its reality, returns to
Bramha, with whom it is identical.
The philosophy of the Védanta, as explained in the Védanta-Sara,
differs undoubtedly from the more ancient expositions of this doctrine,
106 Védanta-Sara, or Essence of the Véddnta. [No. 158.
and I fully concur in Colebrooke’s opinion, that the attempt to pro-
claim the material world as mere illusion, had not originated with the
founders of the Védanta. The centre on which all Hindoo philosophy
depends, is the opposition between the phenomena of the mind and of
the body, by which they were led even in early times, as it appears,
to maintain the existence of two principles, soul and matter.* This is
likewise observable in the Védanta ; soul and matter, though produced
from one and the same substance, are at first real productions, which
have the same claim to existence, and only at a later period, when
on comparison of both with the substantia absoluta their reality came
to be questioned, the reality of matter was denied, and the expedient
of an illusion was resorted to, in order to explain its existence.
The Védanta in general differs from the Sankhya; the two systems
assimilate in their explanation of productions of the material world ; but
while the Sankhya lays down the original independent existence of
spirit and of matter, the Védanta derives both from one and the same
substance, in which their differences are destroyed. The two schools
of the Védanta, the ancient and modern, agree as to this substantia
absoluta ; the material productions, however, derived from it, though
created in the same successive order, are differently explained; they
are real productions according to the ancient school, while the modern
one believes them to be a mere illusion, produced by unconsciousness.
Among the various systems of the Greeks, we can only find that of
the Eleates, with which we may compare the principles of the Védanta.
We there perceive the same all comprehensive substance, which has the
same attribute of eternal, unchangeable existence which is without
differences, either with regard to itself or others, and the sole attribute
of which is thought. We also find in the disputes of the Eleate Zeno
with other Greek philosophers the same inclination to consider all
material things as mere illusion, But I abstain from further comparison
of the systems, as the Védanta treats of the subject matter synthe-
tically as well as by analysis, whereas the Eleate school has confined
itself wholly to the latter process.
The modern Védanta bears the closest affinity to the system of Spi-
* Though it appears a matter of course, that all philosophers should commence
from these principles, history shows the reverse. Thus, Greek philosophy was at
its commencement entirely physical.
1845.] Védanta- Sara, or Essence of the Védanta. 107
noza. His Bramha is that infinite substance with infinite attributes,
beside which there is nought else existing, though he so far differs from
the modern Védantists as to assign to it two attributes, that of thought,
and that of extension, which the Védantists of that school deny the
existence of.
They maintain a perfect Ens or a real unity without any element of
opposite qualities. Spinoza indeed asserts, that his Ens Cogitans is
identical with the Ens Extensum, difference existing only in the percep-
tion of the whole under the one or under the other attribute; but on
the other hand he also asserts, that each attribute must be understood
of itself, that is to say, that it has no relation whatever to any other
attribute.* Though the Védanta philosophy in this instance is evidently
more strict in the definition of the principle, it deviates from the origi-
nal purity of its notion, when attempting to explain the phenomena of
its world. ;
Both systems present likewise a singular coincidence in the mode,
by which they connect finite things with infinite substance. Spinoza
declares it altogether impossible to derive finite things from infinite
subtance, because any finite substance is only finite, if determined by
another substance of the same kind, that is, infinite substance is always
co-existent with finite things.t The Védanta-Sara maintains also, that
the perception of Bramha as one whole or as many parts, depends merely
on the accident of that perception ; if perceived as one, it would be one;
if perceived as many, it would be many; but in the latter case the unity
of entity would be in no sort destroyed or altered. Here likewise we
find a plurality of material objects, not derived from the one whole (which
has the attributes of infinity, eternity, &c.,) but co-existent in it, so
* Though it should be hardly necessary to make quotations in such a general
sketch as this, still it may be not found useless to confirm some of the above as-
sertions. Per attributum intelligo id, quod intellectum de substantia percipit, tan-
quam ejus essentian constituens. Spin. Eth. I, Def. 4. Unumquodque unius sub-
stantie attributum per se concipi debet. Eth. Prop. 10. Duae attributa, realiter
distincta, per se concipiuntur, idest, unum sine ope alterius. Eth. Def. 3.
+ Quodcunque singulare sive quavis res, quae finita est et determinatam hezbet ex-
istentiam, non potest existere nec ad operandum determirari, nisi ad existendum et
operandum determinetur ab alia causa, quae etiam finita est, et determinatam habet
existentiam ; et rursus haec causan on potest etiam existere, neque ad operandum
determinari, nisi ab alia, quae etiam finita est et determinetur ad existendum et ope-
randum, et sic in infinitum. Eth. |. Prop. 28.
108 Vedanta- Sara, or Essence of the Védanta. [No. 158.
that both views are essentially the same: this way of reasoning,
however, must not be applied to the pure Bramha. Here then both
systems differ, and if we must assign to the Védanta the meed of
greater purity in its principle, we must expressly state, that in the
development of the system Spinoza is as infinitely superior to the Védanta
as the science of his time was to that of the Hindoos generally.
It is easy also to find many points of resemblance between the
modern Védanta and the doctrines of Fichte* and Schelling; as the
world, being a production of Maya, or unconsciousness, and according
to Fichte, being a phenomenon of the Ego in its different modes of
considering itself, and Schelling’s negation of the nothing by the abso-
lute substance, his absolute Selbstbejahung, compared with the infinite
Bramha, without whom nothing exists, are ideas closely related; but
we abstain from further comparisons and conclude this introduction
with some remarks on Hindoo philosophy in general.
We must acknowledge the ingenuity and originality of thought, by
which this system was brought forth. It is evidently not a primitive
notion of the mind, such as might almost arbitrarily assign a general
cause to certain phenomena, which provoke reflection. It is an elabo-
rate system, in which the principle and the method are clearly defined,
and the inferences are fairly deduced, and compared with the original
impulses, by which reflection was called forth. It is also evident, that
such a doctrine, especially as it was considered as the last goal of per-
fection by all classes, must have had a powerful influence in the form-
ation of individual character as well as on the civilisation of the people ;
for to obtain its final object, purity of the moral character was indis-
pensable. It is, to confess the truth, a philosophical system, elevated,
far above the crude notions, connected with national superstitions,
above the prejudices of caste, as well as above the formalities of ceremo-
nial worship ; for the supreme substance is only known by a continued
* Fichte, in asserting that the external objects are merely productions of the
ego, appears to be most closely connected with the modern Védanta. This is,
however, not the case. The Védnatists maintain the world to be appearance, be-
cause it cannot be considered as real: Fichte, on the contrary, from its being a mere
appearance in the Ego, argues its unreality. This Ego moreover, as the identity of
subject and object, is very different from any doctrine in the Védanta, and the idea-
listic principle, from which it appears to proceed, is only pretended, as the pheno-
mena of nature are in fact derived from a realistic basis.
1845.) Védanta- Sara, or Essence of the Védanta. 109
and methodical direction of the reflective power of the mind upon it,
and the Sankhya expressly asserts, that the religious ceremonies
and doctrines of the Védas are not sufficient} for final salvation.* It
is, however, not surprising, that similar effects were not produced by the
philosophy of the Hindoos, as by that of the Greeks. In Greece no
caste existed; men of science rose from all classes of the people, and
the work of the higher faculties of the mind was not restricted to the
priests. When therefore philosophers found the religious doctrines of
their people inconsistent with sound reason and morality, they did not
hesitate to pronounce them as such, and to demonstrate their pernicious
effects upon the moral and religious principles of the people.t In India,
on the contrary, the cultivation of science was incumbent on the priests
alone, and if the results of their enquiries were strongly opposed to the
religious prejudices of the people, their whole position most forcibly
recommended them to conceal what they considered truths, because
destructive of those very prejudices, whence they derived their privileges
and subsistence. Thus influenced on the one side by the power of truth
to the revelation of their opinions, on the other by worldly advantages
to their concealment, they followed a middle course, that is, they
endeavored to reconcile the tenets of religion with their philosophical
views, without deserting the consistency of their principles. By this
proceeding must religion, of course have been degraded from its state
of sublime agency, as advancing the best interests of mankind, to be-
coming the base instrument of delusion on uncultivated minds, while
philosophy lost its dignity and genuine character, being mixed up with
a corrupt theology, and the distance between the learned and the
people in general became the wider. It was only one of the conse-
quences of such a position, that the common people by nature and law
were unfit to enjoy the knowledge possessed by the privileged castes.
Owing to the exclusiveness‘of science it is another consequence, that
philosophy in India was more directed to theoretical contemplation
than to practical purposes; the Greeks as well as the modern European
* This is in fact also maintained by the Véd4nta, absorption into Brahma being
the final end of an individual intelligence, and all efforts which are not directed to
this end, retarding it in a more or less degree.
+ Sextus Empir. Adv. Math., where he speaks about Kenophanes, and Clem.
Alex. Chrom. V. Xenophanes ; but the principal passage, and perhaps the best, what
has been said on the pernicious results of polytheism, Plat. Repub. Lib. II.
Rr
110 Veddnta- Sara, or Essence of the Vedanta. [No. 158.
nations, on the contrary, bestowed the same attention upon practical as
on abstract questions ; for while, according to the one, it is a duty of
mankind to remain in social connexion, a duty which should even be
enforced, it is, according to the other, the highest privilege of the
wise to separate himself from all social connexions, to endeavour at
a total abdication of the impulses and motives for action, which the
world or our ownselves can present, until the soul has arrived at that
condition, in which it returns to the source of all truth and reality, and
in which the individual becomes annihilated by absorption into the great
origin of all things, who is all, and in whom all are included.
Salutation to Ganésha.
For the accomplishment of my desire I take refuge to the soul, in-
finite in reality, in knowledge and in bliss,* the place of the uni-
verse, which neither by word nor thought can be approached.
Having worshipped my teacher Adwydadnanda,t who by overcoming
the notion of duality, is in truth so named, I shall expound the
Essence of the Védanta according to my understanding.
The name of Vedanta applies to such arguments as are taken from
Védantae the Upanishads to the Sharirikasutras§ and other similar
Shastras, which tend to the same end.
As this work is an introduction to the Védanta, it need not se-
Category. paratedly explain the categories, by which the Véddnta is
be he Gi © completed. There are four categories in the Védanta, the
qualified person, the object, the connection, and the final end.
* This may also be translated, ‘the infinite, eternal, omniscient, blissful soul,’’
or ‘‘the soul, which is the bliss of infinite being, and knowledge.’’ I here observe,
that the soul is not something different from those predicates, but the identity of
reality, knowledge and bliss.
t+ Adwyananda means who finds his felicity in non-duality.
¢ Upanishad, the theological part of the Vedanta, or argumentative part of the
Védas. Wilson. The commentator, Ramakrishna Tirtha remarks, that it is the object
of the Upanishads to explain the unity of the universal and the individual soul.
§ The Saririka, Mimaénsa, Brahme-stitra or S4rira-stitra, above mentioned, is a
collection of succinct aphorisms, attributed to Badarayana, who is the same with
Vyasa, or Védavy4sa, also called Dwaipayana or Crishna-dwaipayana. Colebrooke,
Tr. R.A. Soc. Vol. II, p. 3.
1845.) Védinta-Sara, or Essence of the Véddnta. 111
A qualified person is he, who by the perusal, as it is prescribed,
Qualified person. of the Védas and Védangas having first obtained
afaarct the ¢7we sense of all the Védas, who in this or a former
life having renounced the objects of desire, and the works which are
JSorbidden, who by observing the daily ceremonies as well as those pre-
scribed on certain occasions, the expiations and acts of internal worship,
being liberated from all sin, and therefore thoroughly purified in his
mind, and who having performed the four means, has become perfect
in knowledge.
Objects of desire, as for instance the Jydtishtdmas*, are such as are
Objects of desire. means of obtaining heaven and other desirable ob-
areata jects; prohibited is what causes (the punishment
and of aversion. of) hell and other undesirable objects, as for in-
fafasifa stance the killing of a Bramhan. Daily ceremonies
Daily ceremonies. are for instance the Shandhydbandanat which to
faaafa omit is the cause of sin. Ceremonies on certain
Ceremonies on certain occasions are for instance the Jateshtya and others
oO ° ° payee .
ae 2 for the birth of a son. Expiations are for instance
WATT the Chandrayanas,{ which are causes of remov-
Expiations. é ‘ i 2 :
fi = ing sin. Acts of internal worship, for instance
ah anit such as originated from Shandilya, are actions
cts ip. ‘ ° ° .
peat a of the mind, whose object is Bramha, united
SUA with the three qualities. The principal fruit of
the daily ceremonies is the purification of the mind, that of the acts
of internal worship is the fixing of the mind upon Bramha.
“It is him, whom the Bramhans by the word of the Védas and by
religious austerities wish to comprehend,” says the Sruti.
“* By austerities sin is destroyed ; by knowledge, immortality obtain-
ed,” says the Sruti.
* A particular sacrifice, at which sixteen officiating priests are required. Wilson’s
Sanscrit Dict.
+ Religious abstraction, meditation, repetition of Mantras, sipping of water, &c
to be performed by the three first classes of Hindoos at particular and stated periods
in the course of every day, especially at sunrise, sunset, and also, though not essen-
tially, at noon. Wil. S. D.
¢ A religious or expiatory observance regulated by the moon’s age, diminishing
the daily consumption of food every day by one mouthful, for the dark half of the
moon, and increasing it in like manner during the light half. Wil. S. D.
112 Védénta- Sara, or Essence of the Véddénta. [ No. 158.
The secondary fruit of the daily ceremonies, of those enjoined on
certain occasions, and of the acts of internal worship, is the gaining of
the world of the forefathers and of the celestials.
‘** By works the first is obtained, by knowledge the latter,” says
the Sruti.
Means are : First, the distinction of the real from the unreal thing ;
Means. Secondly, the disregard of the enjoyment of fruits
areata (arising from works) as well in this as in a future life ;
Thirdly, tranquillity of mind, self-restraint, &c. ; Fourthly, the desire
of emancipation.
The distinction of the real from the unreal thing, is to know, that
et ad Bramha is the real thing, and beside him all is
facattaea unreal. Disregard of the enjoyment of the fruits,
qed face: arising from works, in this as well as in a fature
pS iapeat life, is entirely to renounce the enjoyment of
_ things of this world, as for instance, of wreaths or
Disregard of enjoy- : :
ment in this as well asin Sandelwood, &c. which are transient, because they
er ath must be obtained by works, as well as to renounce
the enjoyment of things of another world, as for instance, of the juice of
immortality, &c., because they are also transient.
Means of self-command are, a. tranquillity of mind, 0. self-restraint, c.
Means of self-command. resting, d. endurance, e. religious contemplation
Pranquillity of mind. ang # faith. Tranquillity of mind is the refraining
wa: of the mind from objects of the ear and the other
senses, with the exception of such objects as refer to Bramha, (Bramha
as united with the three qualities) self-restraint is the coercion of the
Self-restraint, external senses from all objects, with the exception
Qa: of such as refer to Bramha. Resting is to rest from
Resting. all objects, when returning (into the mind) with
wacfa: exception of such as refer to Bramha, or to abandon,
according to prescribed rules, all works that are enjoined. Endurance
Endurance. is the sustaining of cold and warm, and of all those
afecuat sensations that have their contrary ones.
Religious contemplation is to keep the mind fixed upon the hearing
Religious contemplation. &¢, of Bramha, and upon such objects by which
aaita: this is facilitated. Faith is belief in the words
1845. ] Védanta-Sara, or Essence of the Véddnta. 113
of the spiritual guide and of the Védanta. Desire of emancipa-
Faith. tion is the wish of liberation. He that is per-
BUT.
Downer en eiation ie Ab re mest obtained this state of
1 mind, 1s called a qualified person.
qaqa P
* Tranquil in mind and self-restrained,” says the Sruti, and it is also
observed, “ To him who is tranquil in his mind, who has subdued
his senses, whose sins are removed, who acts according to the precepts
(of the Shastra) who abounds in virtues, who is a follower of the
teacher and strives for emancipation, to such a one must always this
(the Shastra) be given.”
II. Object, (of the Védanta,) is the unity of the sentient soul and
Object. of Bramha, the soul in its pure state, as to be
faaa: proved from arguments of the Védénta.
III. Connection, between that unity as object of knowledge, and
Connection. the Upanishads which explain it, is the relation
qeTey: between the object of knowledge and that which
makes it known.
IV. Final end is the destruction of the ignorance which obtains
Final end. with regard to the knowledge of that unity (of
aaa the individual and universal soul) and the gaining
of beatitude in accordance with his (Bramhas) being.
‘““Who knows the soul, overcomes misery,” says the Sruti, and
further,
‘“¢ Who knows Bramha, becomes like Bramha.”
That qualified person, being burned by the fire of birth, death and
other worldly misery, as a person whose head is burning, takes
refuge in the sea, repairs with offerings in his hand to the teacher
who knows the Védas, and puts his faith in Bramha, and becomes his
(the teacher’s) follower.
** Holding (he) offerings in his hands, (repairs) to him who knows
the Védas, and puts his faith in Bramha,” says the Sruti.
II. Object. That teacher with deepest love instructs him by means
of the improper transferring and of the true abstraction.*
‘To him, when arrived, thus spoke the teacher,” says the Sruti.
* Adhyardpa (the same with Ardépa, Adhydsha, Bhrama) is literaly ‘‘ placing
upon,’’ and signifies error with regard to the infinite being.
114 Védanta-Sara, or Essence of the Védanta. [ No. 158.
Improper transferring is the placing of an unreal thing upon
Improper transferring. the real thing, as the placing of (the notion of)
AeqTIT: a snake upon a rope, which is not a snake.
The real thing is the eternal, omniscient, blissful Bramha, without
Real and unreal thing. Guality. The unreal thing is all, that is in-
animate without consciousness.* The thin
Teed gtd 8
aa without consciousness is according to some what
Thing without consci- Ca0not be explained by (the ideas of) exis-
oS tence or non-existence, according to others, the
something, composed of the three qualities,t which exists, and ob-
structs knowledge.
I am ignorant, this and the like you perceive by reflection, and
ys wat! Sy
Unity andwuempicty | 2°" know the power of the soul, in which its
of the thing without own qualities are inherent,” says the Sruti. This
CONSCiOUsNESS. : ; E j
(something) without consciousness by the ideas
of generality and speciality is perceived as one thing and many
things. For as by the application of (the idea) of generality to trees the,
word forest in the singular number is perceived, or by the same notion
* Vide preface.
haya: Commonly translated, quality, but more adequately degree of material
existence, Guna is likewise here in the text not a quality of the thing without
consciousness, but the three Gunas are its actual being, A Guna, as being the
source of all derived material existence, can consequently not be explained, but by
its effects. Lassen renders these three modes of existence by—essentia, impetus,
and caligo. Colebrooke, Miscellaneous Essays, Vol. I. p. 249, says, with regard to
them: ‘* The Sankhya, as other Indiaw systems of philosophy, is much engaged
with the consideration of what is termed the three qualities, if indeed quality is
the proper import of the term; for the Scholiast of Capila understands it as mean-
ing, not quality or accident, but substance, a modification, fettering the soul,
conformably with another acceptation of Guna, signifying a cord. The first and
highest is goodness, (sattwa.) It is alleviating, enlightening, attended with plea-
sure and happiness ; and virtue predominates init. In fire itis prevalent, where-
fore flame ascends, and sparks fly upwards. In man, when it abounds, as it does in
beings of a superior order, it is the cause of virtue. The second and middlemost
is foulness or passion, (rajas or téjas.) tis active, urgent and variable, attended
with evil and misery. In airit predominates, wherefore wind moves transversely.
In living beings, it is the cause of vice. The third and lowest is darkness, (tamas).
It is heavy and obstructive, attended with sorrow, dullness and illusion. In earth
and water it predominates, wherefore they fall or tend downwards. In living beings
it is the cause of stolidity, These three qualities are not mere accidents of nature,
but are of its essence, and enter into its composition. We speak of the qualities
of nature, as we do of the trees of a forest,’’ says the Sanchyas.
ae a eee ee ee ee a
‘om
|e ee
a el P a
1845. ] Véddénta-Sara, or Essence of the Véddnta. 115
many waters appear as a single thing, so by the application of the idea
of generality to the unconscious things which are united with sentient
souls and manifested by (the idea of) plurality, they appear as one
single thing.
‘Which is not produced, which is one” (ignorance, Maya,) says the
Sruti.
In this universality (of unconsciousness) by being the attribute of the
perfect one, is the principal quality, viz. that of goodness, prevailing ;
the soul in which this (universal unconsciousness) is inherent, and which
has the attributes of omniscience, omnipotence, supreme government
and other perfections, which is manifested by (the notions of) existence
and non-existence, which is the all-pervading cause of the world, is
Supreme ruler. called the supreme ruler. His omniscience arises
S9qT: from manifesting all that is without consciousness.
‘* Who knows all, is omniscient,” says the Sruti.
This universality (of unconsciousness) is the causal organism (of the
Causal organism. goul,) since it is the cause of the universe, it is
AICUTACT the cause of blessedness, since it involves all bliss
and has the quality of covering like a case ; it is profound sleep, since
it rests above all; it is therefore said to be the place of destruction of
the subtile and gross expanses.
As by the application of (the idea of) speciality a forest is perceived
as trees in the plural number, or water as many waters, so by the ap-
plication of (the idea of) speciality the universal unconsciousness
appears as many unconscious things.
‘¢ Bramha is by his Mayas manifold,” says the Sruti.
In this instance by the application of universality and speciality arises
the name of universality and speciality, (of unconsciousness.) This speci-
ality of unconsciousness, by its being an attribute of the single soul, has
the principal quality of goodness in its impure state. 'The soul, in which
this (special unconsciousness) is inherent, and which has therefore the
attributes of ignorance, subjection and other imperfections, is called the
Individual Intelligence. individual intelligence ;* it has the attribute of
ATS: partial knowledge, since it manifests only one
* I have rendered the Sanscrit term: WT S{; by individual intelligence. The
adequate version would be : who knows only a little, which is, however, in fact the i
same with the idea of an individual intelligence,
a al
116 Védinta-Sara, or Essence of the Véddnta. [No. 158.
unconscious thing; it is not able to manifest many, because it has the
quality of indistinctness*. Since it (the special unconsciousness) is the
cause of selff, and of other similar attributes, it is the causal organism
(of the soul) as it includes all bliss, the case of blessedness, as it rests
above all, profound sleep, therefore the place of destruction of the sub-
tile and coarse organisms. In that state the supreme ruler and the in-
dividual intelligences enjoy by the subtle powers of unconsciousness,
which are the manifestations of the soul, (perfect) blessedness.
“The individual intelligence, which is the same with the soul, en-
joys bliss,” says the Sruti.
This is also confirmed by the fact, that one who awakes from
sleep, makes the reflection,—Sleeping I was happy, I knew
nothing.
There is no distinction between both the universality and speciality,
(of unconsciousness) as there is none between forest and the trees, and
water as one thing, and water as many waters. There is no distinction
likewise between both, the supreme ruler and the individual intelli-
gences, in which that universality and speciality are inherent, as there
is none between the sky, which covers the forest and the trees,
and between the sky which is reflected by the ocean and by many
waters.
“‘ That Ruler of all,” says the Sruti.
As there is for both the forest and the trees, and the sky, which
is attributed to them, as well as the water and the waters, and the
sky, reflected by them, another not attributed sky, which is the loca-
tion of them, so is for both, the unconsciousness and the soul, in which
it (the unconsciousness) is inherent, another soul which is not inherent,
and which is called the fourtht.
“They call him blessed, tranquil, without duality, the fourth,”
says the Sruti.
* This indistinctness is produced, according to the Tika, by the state in which the
single soul is placed, viz., in which the first quality, being suppressed by the second
and third qualities, cannot be clearly manifest.
t DSSTE: Self, more properly what produces self, the notion of egoity, the
faculty or power to refer all perceptions and notions to a self, an ego.
¢ This term of the fourth will afterwards be explained.
1845.] Védinta-Sara, or Essence of the Védanta. 117
This fourth, the soul in its pure state*, if, like a burning iron-ball,
not distinguished from the unconsciousness and the soul, in which it
is inherent, is the literal meaning of the great sentence, (viz., that
art thou, which the teacher first addresses to his pupil) if distinguish-
ed, it is the real meaning of the great sentence.
The unconsciousness possesses two powers, the covering and the il-
Covering power of un- lusivet. The unconsciousness, though finite, hides
bap naam by its covering power the infinite, incorporeal soul,
qacaa ta: by obstructing the mind of the observer, in the
same way, as even a small cloud covers the orb of the sun, which ex-
tends many miles, by obstructing the direction of the eye of the ob-
server.
Thus it is said, “‘ As an ignorant man, the eye of whom is cover-
ed by a cloud, thinks the sun to be covered by a cloud and without
radiance, so the self as soul, which is infinite knowledge, appears be-
fore the eye of the ignorant as constrained in limits.”
When the soul is covered by this power, then arises the impression
of dominion, possession, happiness, misery and of other notions, con-
nected with material things, as from a rope, which is not perceived to
be a rope (which is covered by its own ignorance) the idea of a snake
Illusive power. is produced.—As the ignorance with regard to a
facaata: rope, produces by its own power (the idea of) a
snake and similar things upon a rope which is not perceived to be a
rope (which is covered by its own ignorance) so shows the unconsci-
ousness (ignorance) by its own power all the expanses of the universe
upon the soul, which is covered by ignorance. This power is called
the illusive power.
It is said, ‘‘ The illusive power of ignorance creates the world from
the internal organisms of Bramha’s egg.”
* That is to say, considered in its absolute state, in which all differences and at-
tributes are annihilated, and which can only be expressed by the notions of infinite
existence and knowledge.
+ There is this difference between the two powers, the one is negative, there is
an absence of truth, because it is concealed ; the second, however, is a creative
power, it creates appearances, illusions which claim to be realities ; the term illu-
sive does not fully express the Sanscrit word, but I did not find a more adequate
one.
5
118 Védanta-Sara, or Essence of the Védinta. [No. 158.
The soul, in which the ignorance with its two powers is inherent, is
by its own principality the instrumental cause*
(fafa) and by the principality of its quality
(ignorance) the material cause (SUTeTs), as a spider by its own
principality is the instrumental cause, and by the principality of its
body the material cause of the web. From the soul, covered with
unconsciousness, as illusive power, (the second power) in which the
darkness (the third quality) prevails, is produced the ether,t from
the ether the wind, from the wind the fire, from the fire the water,
from the water the earth.
*“*From ¢his soul, in which unconsciousness is inherent, the ether
is produced,” says the Sruti. In the cause of them (the five elements, )
darkness predominates on account of the prevalence of the inanimate
Origin of the world.
in those elements; in that state are the three qualities, (truth, action
and darkness) produced in the ether and the other elements accord-
ing to the quality of their causes. Those subtile elements are called
atoms (@*ATS) and uncombined elements.
From them are produced the organisms and the gross elements. The
subtile organisms are the seventeen organs, and the internal organisms.
Those organs are the five intellectual senses, understanding and reason,
the five organs of acting and the five internal airs. The intel-
lectual senses are the ear, the sense of touch (skin,) the eyes the
tongue and the nose. They are separately, according to their
order, produced from the united parts of the first
‘afg: wality of those elements. Understanding is called
Betenn: the action of the mind, by which it asserts; 7eason
Aa: that action of the mind, by which it doubts or de-
Thinking. cides ; in both (actions) are thinking (fq) and con-
tad sciousness included ; thinking is that action of the
* There are three kinds of causes, 1. Samavayikarana, the same which is here
called SuleTa, which signifies the elements, of which any, substance may be
produced, therefore material cause; 2. Asamavayikarana, the actual union of the
componing parts; 3. Nimitta Karana, the instrument, by which an effect is pro-
duced ; vide Bhasha Parichéda.
+ ATATA: is the first element, in which all others are comprehended ; accord-
ing to the Bhasha Parichéda it is everywhere, and has, with the exception of the
sound, the same attributes with time. In want ofa more appropriate term ether
perhaps expresses best its meaning.
. |
oe ee
1845. ] Véddnta- Sara, or Essence of the Védanta. 119
Consciousness. mind, by which it examines; consciousness, by which
PSATL: it perceives its actions as its own actions. They
are also produced by the united first qualities of those elements,
which is evident from the fact, that they have the power to manifest.
The understanding together with the intellectual senses, forms the
Intelligent case of the intelligent case of the soul ; this (case) on ac-
soul. count of its manifesting the impulses of dominion,
possession and pride, is called the administering sentient soul, the posses-
sor of this and another world. The reason together with the organs of
action form the mental case. Organs of action
are word, hand, foot, the organs of evacuation and
generation. They are separately according to their order, produced by
parts of the second quality. The vital airs are those of respiration,
of inspiration, of circulation, the guttural air and the equalizing air,
(of digestion.) The air of respiration (4TU:) is going upwards
through the nose, that of inspiration (AATW:) going downwards to
the lower extremity of the intestine, that of cérculation is diffused
throughout the whole body. The guttural wind (S@T4:) moving
upwards turns-back again, and has its place in the throat. The equa-
lizing air (AT) passing through the middle of the body, equalizes
the food, which is taken by eating or drinking ; to equalize is to digest
and to produce the different substances for assimilation or excretion.
Others maintain five airs, different from those above mentioned, viz. of
eructation, of gee of digestion, of yawning and of nourishing. The
air of eructation (AT) produces belching, that of winking (HFA)
effects the closing of the eyes, &e. that of digestion (GRC) sarah
hunger, that of yawning (gaga: ) produces yawning, that of nourish-
ing (AaSTT:) makes the body stout. Others assert, that the latter
five airs are included in the former classes. The five vital airs are
produced by the united second qualities of the five elements, and
Vital case. form together with the acting organs the vital case ; it
is produced by parts of the second qualities, because it is living action.
Among those cases the intelligent case, having the faculty of
knowledge, is the ruling, the mental case, having the faculty of desire,
is the causal, and the vital case, having the faculty of action, is the
performer of works. The divisions of the cases are made according to
Mental case of the soul.
120 Védinta-Sara, or Essence of the Védanta. LNo. 158.
their fitness (for certain actions.) They are called, when united, the
subtile organism of the soul. Here also becomes the whole subtile
organism by being the object of One mind, universal organism like
the forests and the sea, and by being the object of many minds,
special organisms, like the trees and the waters. The soul, in which the
universality is inherent, is called (Hiranyagarbha)
the cause of himself, the sentient (conscious) being,
because all things are arranged in him, and because the powers of
knowledge and of action are inherent in him. The universality of
this is the subtile organism (of the soul,) because it is subtler than
the gross organism. The threefold case, having the desire of awaking,
is dream, and therefore called the place of destruction of the gross
organism.—Taijasa the soul, in which the speciality of this threefold
organism is inherent, js called the mantfesting mind. The speciality
of this is the subtile organism from its being subtler than the gross
organism. This threefold case having the desire of awaking, is dream,
and therefore called the place of destruction of the gross organism.
Both Shitrata and Taijasa perceive in that state the subtile objects by
the subtile powers of the mind.
‘* Taijasa, the subtle possessor,” says the Sruti.
In that state there is no difference between Shitradta and Taijasa,
in which the universality and speciality are inherent, as there is
none between the sky which covers the forest and the trees, or the
sky which is reflected by the sea and many waters. Thus is the
production of the subtile organism.
The gross elements are composed of the subtle ones according to the
evade chien of thelgross combination of five. The combination of five is to
elements, combination of divide each of the five elements into two parts, .
Hiranyagarbha.
Jive.
Tsai | then equally to divide each of the five former of
5 the ten parts into four parts, to separate these four
of the one half from their own parts, and to join them with the parts
of the other elements. The combination of five is proved beyond doubt
by the Sruti, in which a combination of three of the same kind occurs.
Though the elements are equalized with each other (containing a
fourth part of their former halves) yet it is proper to call them by their
own name, according to the greater proportion of one element (in that
combination.)
1845.] Védanta-Sara, or Essence of the Vedanta. 12)
In that state sound is manifested in the ether, sound and feel-
ing in the wind, sound, feeling and colour in the fire, these three
with taste in the water, and these four with smell in the earth.
From these five elements, combined in the said manner, were produc-
ed the different Upper Lokas* (worlds) viz., Bhur-ldka, Bhuvar-léka,
Swar-ldka, Mahar-léka, Janar-léka, Tapar-léka and Satya-ldka, which
are placed above the others, then the Nether-lokas,} viz., Atala, Bitala,
Sutala, Rasatala, Taldtala, Mahatala and Patdala, which are placed one
beneath the other, farther Bramha’s mundane egg, the gross orga-
nisms in their fourfold division, contained in that egg, and food, water
and other substances.
Bodies (organic) are either produced from the womb, or from eggs, or
from damp, or from germs. Those produced from the womb are
born alive, as men, animals, &c.; from eggs come forth from an egg, as
birds, serpents, &c. ; produced from the damp are worms, insects, &c. ;
which are born from hot moisture, produced from germs are those
which emerge from the earth, as creepers, trees, &c.
Here also is the gross organism in its fourfold division, by being
the object of one or many minds either a totality, like the forest or
the ocean, or separated into a plurality of bodies, like the trees and
waters. The soul in which this totality is inherent, is called Va-
ishwanara, Viraj, on account of its knowing itself as the totality of
men, and of its governing the universe. This gross body is here
hy ATR: (Léka) world, division of the universe in general, three divisions are
enumerated, or heaven, hell and earth; another classification enumerates seven,
exclusive of the infernal regions, or Bhurléka, the earth, Bhuvar-léka, the space
between the earth and the sun, the region of the Munis, Siddhis, &c. Sver-l6ka the
heaven of Indra, between the sun and the polar-star. Mahar-ldéka, the usual abode
of Bhrigu and other saints, who are supposed to be co-existent with Brahma. Du-
ring the conflagration of the lower worlds, the saints ascend to the next, or Jana-
léka, which is described as the abode of Bramha’s sons, Sanaca, Sananda, Sanatana
and Sanatacumara ; above this is the fifth world, or the Tapar-ldka, where the dei-
ties, called Vairagis reside; the seventh world, Satya-léka, or Bramha-léka is the
abode of Bramha, and translation to this world exempts beings from farther birth ,
the three-first world are destroyed at the end of each calpa or day of Bramha; the
three last at the end of his life, or 100 of his years ; the fourth Léca is equally per-
manent, but it is uninhabitable from heat at the time the three first are burning.
Wils. Sansc. Dict.
+ Internal regions, in which various evil beings have their abodes.
122 Védanta-Sara, or Essence of the Vedanta. [No. 158.
the universal gross body of the soul, and because it is subject to change
from nutriment, it is called the nutritious case of the soul ; it is called
awake, because it is the place in which the gross organisms are en-
joyed.
The soul in which the speciality of this gross organism in its four-
fold division is inherent, is called Bzshwa, (which enters into all)
because, not leaving the subtler body it enters into the gross body.
The gross body of the soul as speciality, because it is subject to
change from nutriment, is called the nutritious case of the soul, it is
called awake, because it is the place in which the gross things are
enjoyed. In that state perceive both Biswa and Baishdnara (the
universal soul and the single soul, in which the gross organism is in-
herent) by their five intellectual organs, which are respectively ruled by
the quarters of the world, the winds, the sun, Varuna (god of waters)
and the Aswis (Gemini) sound, feeling, colour, tasteand smell, by their
organs of action, which are respectively ruled by the fire, Indra,
Upendra, (form of Vishnu) Jama, (death) Prajapati, (Bramha as crea-
tor) they possess the power of speech, taking, going, evacuating,
generating, and by the internal four organs, understanding, reason,
consciousness and thinking, which are respectively ruled by Chandra
(moon) Chaturmukha, (the fourfaced, a form of Bramha) Chankara, (a
form of Shiva) Achyuta, (Srikrishna) they possess the power of
asserting, deciding, consciousness and thinking, that is to say, they
possess all the objects of the gross organism.
‘“‘ In the state of awaking knows the soul the external objects,” says
the Sruti.
In that state there is also no difference between Bishwa and Baisha-
nara, in whom the universality and speciality of the gross or-
ganism are inherent, as there is none between the sky, which is
covered by the forest, and the trees, or between the sky, which is
reflected by the sea, and by many waters. Thus is the production of
the universe of the gross organism from the five elements, in the
combination of five. The universality of the expanses of the gross,
subtle and causal bodies is one great expanse, as the universality
of inner forests becomes one great forest, or as the universality
of inner oceans one great ocean. The soul, in which this is inherent,
from Bishva and Baishanara to the Supreme Ruler is one soul, like
ee ee ee eee ee eee Se
1845. ] Védanta- Sara, or Essence of the Védania, 123
the sky, covered by inner forests, or like the sky, reflected by the
inner oceans. The uninherent soul, when like a burning iron-ball,
not separated from both, the great expanse and the soul, in which the
former is inherent, is the literal meaning of the great sentence: all
this is in truth Bramha ; when separated, it is the real meaning.
Thus is the improper transferring of an unreal thing upon the real
thing generally explained.
The various modes of placing this and this, or that and that,
Paris modes of UPD the all-pervading soul, will now be speci-
transferring. fied.
A very common man, because the Sruti says, ‘‘ The soul is born
as a son,” because he loves his son as himself, and because, when his
son is in good or bad circumstances, he thinks himself so, asserts, that
the son is the soul. A Charvaka*, because the Sruti says, “‘ This
soul is a body of blood and flesh, because he leaves his own son in a
burning house to save himself, and because he thinks, I am stout, I
am thin, asserts, that the gross body is the soul.” Another Charvaka,
because the Sruti says, ‘‘ The sentient souls, repairing to the Lord
of creation, addressed him thus,” because there is a want of bodily mo-
tion, when there is a want of the intellectual organs, and because he
thinks, I am blind, I am deaf, asserts, that the intellectual organs
are the soul. Another Charvaka, because the Sruti says, “ The other
internal soul is vital,’ because there is a want of action of the intel-
lectual senses, when the vital airs are wanting, and because he thinks,
Iam hungry, I am thirsty, asserts, that the vital airs are the soul.
Another Charvaka, because the Sruti says, ‘‘ The other internal soul
is reason,” because there is a want of the action of the vital airs,
&c., when the mind sleeps, and because he thinks, I assent, I
doubt, asserts, that the reason is the soul. A Bauddha,t because
* Colebrooke, R. A. Trans. vol. i. p. 597, says of the sect of the Charvacas, that
they restrict to perception only the means of proof and sources of knowledge, that
besides the four elements, earth, water, fire and wind, they acknowledge no other
principles, that the soul is not different from the body.
t Col. Miscell. Essays, vol. i. p. 396. The Bauddhas or Saugatas are followers
of Buddha or Sugata. No less than four sects have arisen among the followers of
Buddha. Some maintain, that all is void. To those the designation of Madhy-
amica is asserted by several of the commentators of the Védanta. Other disciples
of Buddha...maintain the existence of conscious sense alone. These are called
124 Védanta- Sara, or Essence of the Véddnta. [ No. 158.
the Sruti says, “ Another internal soul is knowledge,” because
there is no action of the organs, when there is no ruler (first mover,)
and because he thinks, I am enjoying, asserts, that the understand-
ing is the soul. Prabhdkaras and logicians, because the Sruti says,
‘“‘another internal soul is pleasure, because it is evident, that igno-
rance destroys the understanding, and because they think, we are ig-
norant, we know, assert, that ignorance is the soul. |
The followers of Bhatta, because the Sruti says, ‘“‘The soul is
knowledge as pleasure,” because in deep sleep manifestation and
also non-manifestation take place, and because they think, we do
not know ourselves, assert, that the soul, in which unconsciousness is
inherent, is the soul. .
Another Baudha, because the Sruti says, “This (universe) was
before (the creation) nothing,” because in deep sleep there remains
nothing, and because he who awakes, naturally thinks, I did not
exist in deep sleep, asserts, that the soul is nothing.
In all those assertions, commencing with the son and terminating
with the nothing, (void) the soul is asserted to be what really is not the
soul. As the apparent arguments from the Sruti, inference and obser-
vation, which commence from the common assertion of the son, clear-
ly show, that one argument from the Sruti, inference and obser-
vation is refuted by arguments of the same kind, it is evident, that
the soul is not the son, &c. That the soul is not mind, not a first
mover, that it is mere knowledge, mere existence, follows from the
contradiction of a much more powerful Sruti, it follows from the rea-
son, that all those inanimate principles from the son up to the void,
by having their existence only through the manifestation of the soul,
are transient like all material beings, and also, that there is much greater
authority in the thought of the wise: Iam Bramha. It is therefore
evident from the contradiction of these arguments from the Sruti,
inference and observation, that none of these principles is the soul.
Therefore the eternal, pure, omniscient, free, true, self-existent (or
Jégacharas. Others, again, affirm the actual existence of external objects no less
than internal sensations. Some of them recognise the immediate perception of in-
terior objects. Others contend for a mediate apprehension of them. Hence two
branches of the sect of Buddha, one denominated Sautrantica, the other Vaibha-
shica,
1845. ] Védanta-Sara, or Essence of the Véddnta. 125
whose nature is true) all pervading Chditanya, which manifests all
those principles, is the supreme soul, this is the opinion of those
that know the Védanta. Thus the improper transferring.
Abstraction (A{WAT:) is called the action, by which the real thing
is acknowledged as the only real thing, after the expanse of the un-
real things which commence from the unconsciousness, has been removed.
from it, as a rope is acknowledged to be a mere rope, when the (notion
of the) serpent has been removed from it. In this manner has the
place of fruition, viz., the gross body in its fourfold division, the
substances which are fit to be enjoyed, as drinking, food, &c., in this
manner the place of their support, the earth and the other fourteen
worlds, in this manner Bramha’s egg (the universe) all this has its
existence alone in the gross elements in the combination of five, which
are the cause of them. The elements in the combination of five together
with the sound and other objects of the gross bodies, all this has its
existence alone in the uncombined elements, which are the cause of
them. The uncombined five elements together with the three quali-
ties (truth, action and darkness ) all this has its existence alone in the
soul, in which unconsciousness as its cause, is inherent, further,
this unconsciousness and the soul, in which it is inherent and which
has the predicates of supreme lord, &c, is merely the fourth Bramha,
the uninherent soul, which is the place of support for them.
The sentence, that* art thou,t becomes by means of both, the im-
proper transferring and abstraction explained in its full meaning; 1,
the universality of ignorance and what is connected with it ; 2, the soul
in which it is inherent and which has the predicates of omniscience,
&e.; and 3, the uninherent sou!, these three are, like a burning
iron-ball, when perceived as one, the literal meaning of the term
that; the uninherent soul, being the place of support, in which the
properties of that (universality) are inherent, is the designable (real)
meaning of the term, ¢hat. These three—1, the speciality of ignorance ;
2, the soul, in which it inheres ; and which has the quality of igno-
rance and other imperfections, and 3, the soul in which this is not
inherent, these three like a burning iron-bal], when perceived as
* The universal soul.
+ Any individual intelligence,
126 Védinta-Sara, or Essence of the Védanta. [No. 158.
one, are the literal meaning of the term, thou; the all-pervading bless-
ed, fourth, supreme soul, being the place of support, in which the
properties of that (speciality) are inherent, is the designable (real)
meaning of the term, thou.
III. Connexion.—The meaning of the great sentence will now be
explained. The sentence: ¢hat art thou, explains the true signification
of the infinite Bramha by the three categories of relation. The three
categories are: 1, the relation of what is identical in these two terms ;
2, the relation of what is distinguishable and distinguishing (subject
and predicate) in the meaning of them; 3, the relation of what is
designable and what is designing in the meaning of those terms, viz.
the universal and the single soul; for it is said, “ that the identifica-
tion, the fixing of what is distinguishable and distinguishing, and the
relation between what is designable and designing explain the meaning
of the terms of the single and universal soul.”
1. The category of identification ; as in the sentence, that is this
Dévadatta, the term that, which refers to Dévadatta, as being in a
past time, and the term ¢his, which refers to Dévadatta, as being in
the present time, (both terms) design the connexion in one and the
same place; thus also in the great sentence, ‘‘ that art thou,” both
terms, viz. the term of that, which means the soul, as having the attri-
butes of invisibility, &c. and the term of thou, which means the soul,
as having the attributes of visibility, &c., design the connexion in one
and the same soul.
2. The category of what is distinguishable and what is distinguish-
ing (subject and predicate) ; as in the former sentence, (that is this
Dévadatta) the meaning of the term ¢hat, which refers to Dévadatta,
as being in a past time, and the term ¢his, which refers to Devadatta,
as being in the present time, both come into the relation of what is
distinguishable and distinguishing by the annihilation of their mutual
differences; thus also in the great sentence both terms, viz. the term
that, which means the soul, as having the attributes of invisibility,
&c., and the term ¢ouw, which means the soul, as having the attributes
of visibility, &c. come into the relation of what is distinguishable and
distinguishing by annihilation of their mutual differences.
3. The category of what is designable and what is designing, as in
the same sentence, (that is this Dévadatta) the relation of the design-
-
er ee
1845. ] Véddnta-Sara, or Essence of the Védanta. 127
able and the designing refers simply to Dévadatta, in which there is
no contradiction, after the contradictory terms of ¢hat and ¢his or
their corresponding meanings, being in the past and in the present
time, have been dispensed with; thus also in the great sentence the
relation of the designable and the designing, refers simply to the soul,
in which there is no contradiction, after the contradictory terms that
and ¢how, or their corresponding meanings, viz. having the attributes
of invisibility and visibility, have been dispensed with.
This category is called the partial designation. In the great sen-
tence the meaning is not consistent,* as it is in the literal meaning of
the sentence—the lotus is blue. In this case, as in the term d/ue, the
quality of blue, and in the term Jotus, the thing lotus, exclude other
qualities and things, as for instance white, and cloth; and as the unity
of the mutual connexion of predicate and subject, or the unity of the
one, determined by the other, are in correspondence with each other,
because there is no contradiction from another argument, (in this case)
the meaning of the sentence is consistent ; but if you think that, in the
great sentence, by excluding the mutual differences of the term ¢hat,
which means the invisible Chaitanya (soul,) and of the term ¢houw,
which means the visible Chaitanya, the meaning of the sentence does
agree, viz. the connexion between predicate and subject, or of the unity —
of the one, determined by the other, we must maintain, that the mean-
ing of the sentence is not consistent, because it involves the contra-
diction of the invisibility, &c. Nor is here an omitting designation
(ellipsis,) as in the sentence—on the Ganga lives the herdsman, con-
sistent.. As there is in this case a perfect contradiction in the meaning
of the sentence, which expresses a connexion between the support, and
what is to be supported, viz. the Ganga and the herdsman, the ellipsis
is called for, because there is a propriety in the designation of the bank
of the Ganga, by entirely dispensing with the meaning of the sentence.
In the great sentence, however, as there is no contradiction in one part
alone of the meaning which shows the unity of the invisible and
visible Chaitanya, the ellipsis cannot take place, because another
ellipsis would be improper without also dispensing with tbe other
* The author, after having discussed the three categories of relation, refutes
three other forms of relation, which at the first glance may appear to express the
meaning of the great sentence.
128 Védanta-Sara, or Essence of the Véddnta. [No. 158.
part.. If you say, as the term Ganga, by entirely rejecting its own
meaning, points to the term bank; so also the terms ¢hat and thou
by entirely rejecting their literal meaning, point to the terms, chow
and that ; why then should the ellipsis be inadmissible: then we must
say, you are not right, because in the former sentence, if you did not
mention the term of bank, its meaning was not known, which therefore
required such an ellipsis; but in the latter sentence, by mentioning
the terms ¢hat and thou, their meanings are fully known, and conse-
quently there is here no necessity of knowing the meaning of one
word by another through the mentioned ellipsis.
Nor is here the case of the not omitting designation admissible,* as in
the sentence—red runs. The sentence, which speaks of the moving of a
quality, is contradictory; but here by not omitting it in the ellipsis
of a horse, which is the place of this or other qualities, the contradic-
tion is removed, and the not omitting designation is proper ; but in the
great sentence, on account of the contradiction in the meaning, which
points out the unity of the invisible and visible Chaitanya, if you, not
dispensing with the invisibility and visibility, refer through the said
ellipsis to any other terms, the contradiction is not removed, and there-
fore this ellipsis cannot take place. But if you say, that the terms that
and thou, by rejecting the contradictory part of their own meanings,
point to the terms ¢hat and ¢hou, as united with the other part, and if
you continue, why then do you not grant a partial ellipsis by another
means? We must say, that this is not proper, because it is impossible
to grant an ellipsis for both, viz., for a part of its own meaning and for
another term by a single term; and also because the meaning of the
terms being known, there is no necessity to know them by an
ellipsis.
As therefore the sentence, this is that Dévadatta, or its meaning on
account of the contradiction in a part of its meaning, which refers to
Dévadatta, as being in the present and in the past time, by omitting
the part which refers to the contradictory terms, being in the present
and in the past time, the not contradictory part only, viz. Devadatta,
remains ; so in the great sentence, chat art thou, or the meaning of
it, on account of the contradiction in a part of its meaning, which
* This term means, that a word retains its literal meaning, while at the same
time it points to a term, which is not included in it.
1845. ] Véddnta- Sara, or Essence of the Véddinta. 129
refers to the invisible and visible Chaitanya, by omitting the part
which refers to the contradictory terms, having the attributes of invi-
sibility and visibility, refers to the not contradictory part only, viz.
Chditanya (soul.)
The meaning of the great sentence, J am Bramha, which was
received by internal perception, will now be given.
When the teacher has thus, by means of the improper transferring and
of the true abstraction, purified the two terms, ¢hat and thou, and the
meaning of the infinite one has been explained by the great sentence,
then is produced in the mind of the qualified person the act of the
understanding, formed by the form of the infinite Bramha, viz., Iam
the eternal, pure, omniscient, free, true, self-existent, ever blessed, in-
finite Bramha, without duality. This act (of the understanding, )
together with the (adequate) likeness of the omniscient being, by making
the all-pervading, undivided, unknown, supreme Bramha its object,
destroys the ignorance with regard to him.
Then as cloth is burned by the burning of the thread, which is
the cause of it; so by the destruction of the ignorance, which is the
cause of the whole creation, the act of the understanding, formed by
the form of the infinite substance, is also destroyed, as included in that
creation. As the shine ofa lamp is absorbed by the overpowering
rays of the sun; so the soul, which is reflected by that act of the un-
derstanding, and absorbed by the self-manifesting, all pervading, undi-
vided, supreme Bramha, which it (the understanding) is unable to ma-
nifest, (the soul) becomes, since the act of the understanding, which is a
part of his qualities, is destroyed, the all-pervading, undivided Bramha,
as the face only remains, when the looking-glass, in which it was re-
flected, has been removed. If this is true, the contradictory statement
of the two passages of the Sruti, viz., ‘‘ by the mind it must be com-
prehended,” and “what is not perceived by the mind, is reconciled,”
because by granting, that the act of the understanding makes Bramha
its object, the effect (the manifestation) must be at the same time
prohibited. It is also said, to make (Bramha) object of manifestation,
is prohibited by the authors of the Shastras. For the destruction of
the ignorance respecting Bramha, that act of the understanding is
required, and it is not proper that he who manifests himself, is
manifested by another.
130 Védanta- Sara, or Essence of the Véddnta. LNo. 158.
The particulars of the act of the understanding, formed by the form
of the inanimate substances, are as follow. For instance, in the per-
ception of this thing, the act of the understanding, formed by the form
of this thing, in making the (this) unknown thing its object, manifests
even the inanimate matter, which is this thing, by the manifestation of
the knowledge, which that act of the understanding has acquired, after
the ignorance with regard to that thing has been removed, as the shine
of a lamp in making any thing, concealed by darkness, its object,
manifests by its own power (shine) the thing, after the darkness, in
which it was concealed, has been removed.
IV. The four means.—The diligent application of the four acts, viz.
hearing, attention, of contemplation and meditation, being required,
until the perception of the soul, which has no other likeness but with
itself, is obtained, they must be here described.
1.— Hearing means the fixing of the opinion of the Veédantas with
regard to the being without duality, by the six modes of determination,
which are, the commencement and the end, the practice, the exclu-
sion of other arguments, the final end, the proper speaking, and the
demonstration.
a. The commencement and the end is the fixing of any sub-
ject, to be explained in a chapter (of the Véddnta) in its com-
mencement and end; for instance, in the sixth chapter of the Chan-
dogya Upanishad, the definition of the being without duality, which
is to be explained in that chapter, is in the commencement, one even
without duality, and in the end, that Bramha, the life of the whole
universe.
b. Practice is repeatedly to mention a subject in a chapter, in
which it is to be explained ; as for instance, in the middle of that chap-
ter (Chandégya) the nine times mentioning of the being without dua-
lity by the great sentence, that art thou.
c. The exclusion of other arguments is not to demonstrate a subject,
to be explained in a chapter, by other proofs, as in that chapter the
being without duality is not demonstrated by another proof.
d. Final end is the fruit from the knowledge of Bramha, to be
explained in a chapter, or from the practice of that knowledge, as
it is mentioned in that chapter, ‘‘that the man who has a teacher,
knows that he belongs to him, until he is liberated ; then he will
ee ae
_—
e
4 a
}
4
J
1845.] Véddnta-Sara, or Essence of the Védanta. 131
be saved.” Thus the principal fruit from the knowledge of the infinite
being is to gain that end.
e. The proper speaking is the praising of any subject in a chapter,
in which it is to be explained ; for instance, it is a praise of the being
without duality in that chapter. ‘‘O thou (disciple) you asked for
such advice, by which that which is never heard, is heard; that
which is never thought, is thought ; and that which is never known,
is known.
Ff. Demonstration is the proper mode of deduction for the attain-
ment of complete understanding of the subject, to be explained in a
chapter ; as for instance, in that chapter, ‘“‘O thou handsome youth,
as all things, made of earth, are known by one clod of earth, the dif-
ference consists in words only ; the real thing is earth, so the demon-
stration in that chapter is the proper mode of deduction in the attain-
ment of the complete understanding of the being without duality,
that there is no difference but in words.”
2.— Attention is the constant attending to the being without duality,
by those demonstrations, which refer to it in the Védanta.
3.—Contemplation is the remaining of the same state of the under-
standing, formed by the form of the being without duality, with
regard to that being, which is not believed to exist in the transient
form of a body.
4.— Meditation is twofold; the one in the form of difference, the
other without it. Meditation, which has the form of difference, is to
place upon the being without duality the act of the mind, formed by
the form of it (that being) without removing the difference between
him who knows, the object of knowledge, and knowledge itself.
As in the perception of an earthen elephant, earth only is actually
perceived ; so the being without duality is perceived even in the per-
ception of duality. Thus it is said by philosophers, who maintain,
the being, which is like the eye, which is (the support of all) like the
ether, which is supreme, which is at once manifest, which is not pro-
duced, which is one (without difference in itself and from others) im-
perishable, in which all differences are annihilated, which is omnipre-
sent and without duality, even this being am I, who is for ever liber-
ated. Iam perfect in knowledge, pure, unchangeable; I am not fet-
tered, I do not require salvation.
132 Védanta-Sara, or Essence of the Véddnta. LNo. 158.
The meditation without difference is to place upon the being without
duality the same act of the understanding, formed by the form of it
(that being) after having removed the differences between him who
knows, the object of knowledge, and knowledge itself. As water alone
appears by the disappearance of salt, which is formed by the form of
water ; so appears the being without duality alone by the disappearance
of the act of the mind, formed by the form of that being. . Still it
must not be thought, that there is no distinction between this state
and sound sleep: for though in either the same absence of the act of the
understanding does occur, yet, from the existence and not existence
of that act in either state, the distinction between them is evident.
This meditation includes: refraining, religious refraining, sitting in a
peculiar posture, suppression of breath, coercion, internal fixing and
meditation.
Refraining includes the following acts: refraining from injary,
regard for truth, abstaining from stealing, obedience to the spiritual
teacher, and not accepting (gifts.)
Religious refraining includes purification, contentment, devotion,
reading (of the Vedas) and meditation on the Supreme Ruler.
Sitting in a peculiar posture are the different modes of placing the
members of the body in a prescribed form, as in the form of a lotus, &c.
Suppression of the breath is the peculiar mode of expiration and
inspiration, and of keeping the breath.
Coercion is the refraining of the senses from their objects.
Internal fixing is to fix without intermission the acts of the internal
senses upon that being.
Meditation, is here the first one, which has the difference in itself.
There are four obstacles to the perfect meditation without differ-
ence: viz. listlessness, absence of mind, passion, and propensity to
pleasure.
Listlessness is the sleep of the mind, (caused) by not attending to
the being without duality.
Absence of mind is attention to other things by not attending to
the being without duality.
Passion is inadvertence to the being without duality, not from list-
lessness, or absence of mind, but from the act of the understanding,
being fettered by the desire of love, or other passions.
1845.] Védanta- Sara, or Essence of the Védanta. 133
Propensity to pleasure is, to enjoy by the act of the mind, no
being directed to the being without duality, the pleasure, produced by
the meditation, which has its difference in itself, or the enjoyment
of pleasure, produced by that Meditation at its commencement.
When the understanding, free from those four obstacles and immov-
able like a lamp, protected from the wind, thus becomes the infinite
Chaitanya alone, then the meditation is called that without dif-
ference. It is said, he will awaken the understanding, sunk in list-
lessness ; he will concentrate it, when lost in absence of mind ; he will
enlighten it, when blinded by passion; he will not move it, when
steadied by austerities; he will not let it taste pleasure; by the
consideration (of universal things) it will be without fondness. As
a lamp, protected from the wind, &c. &c.
Definition of the living free. The living free is the Bramhanishta
(devoted to Bramha) who, after the infinite, self-like Bramha is known,
when the ignorance with regard to him is removed by the knowledge
of the self-like, infinite, pure Bramha, is free from all worldly fet-
ters, by the destruction of the ignorance and its creation, of the
unrewarded works (those works which have not borne their fruit
previously to the true knowledge) of doubt, (viz. whether there is a
soul different from the body or not) and of other misapprehensions.
‘*When he, the universal soul, has been perceived, then ali the con-
scious acts of the understanding are extinguished, then all doubts
are removed, and also his works are annihilated,” says the Sruti.
Though he in the time of awaking (the Bramhanishta) by his body,
which is like a vessel of flesh, blood, &c., by his senses, which are like
vessels of blindness, bluntless and unfitness, and by his mind, which
is the vessel for the sensations of hunger, thirst, grief and error, per-
forms the works which are worked by the impulses of his former de-
sires, and enjoys the fruits of his undertakings, which (the fruits) are
no obstacles to the true knowledge; still he does not actually perform
or enjoy them, since he has destroyed the whole creation of ignorance,
as a person, who knows a thing, which he perceives to be an illusion
of his senses, does not actually believe in its reality, though he may per-
ceive it. ‘‘ As one seeing does not see, or hearing does not hear,” says
the Sruti. It is also said, who in a waking state is like a person fast
asleep, who does not perceive, though perceiving, duality, because he is
U
134 Védanta-Sara, or Essence of the Védanta. [ No. 158.
above duality, who, though acting, does not act, he knows the soul
none else; this is certain. As previously to the obtainment of this
knowledge he followed the sensations of hunger and other appetites, so
he (now) follows (only) the impulses to good works, or there is the
same indifference to good and evil actions. It is said, “If he, who
knows the reality of the being without duality, can act according to his
desire, what difference is then between a dog and him who knows the
truth, as regards the taking of impure food. He knows the soul, who has
purified the knowledge of Bramha (from ignorance) not another, must
be the answer. Humility of mind, the cause of true knowledge, benevo-
lence and other virtues will adorn him like ornaments (in that state.) It
is said, he who has gained perfect knowledge of the soul, possesses bene-
volence and other virtues, without effort on his part; but not he
(possesses them without effort) who is striving for the means of salva-
tion. What else can I say? He, who for the maintenance of his
body only suffers the happiness and misery, resulting from his works,
which are done to accomplish his own desires and aversions, as well
as those of others, and brings to light the impulses of his mind,
will on the approach of death unite his life with the all-pervading,
ever blessed, supreme Bramha; and having thus destroyed the
perception of ignorance and of its creation, he will exist as the
supreme Bramha, who is perfect salvation, the fountain of all bliss,
and free from the signs of every difference. His life is not taken to
other places, but to him (Bramha) it is flowing. Free, he is made free ;
thus says the Sruti.
135
Note of the Course of Study pursued by Students in the Sanskrit
College, Calcutta. By W. Seton Karr, Esq, B. C. 8.
The course of study pursued by the students of the Sanskrit College
is as follows: they begin by studying Vyakaranam, or grammar, for
the first three years. The grammar mostly used is one called the Mugda
_ Bodha, written in Sanskrit, as those written in Bengali are despised
by the Natives. It is a peculiarly native idea, that until a thorough
acquaintance with the rules of grammar, as seen theoretically, is obtain-
ed, nothing can be done towards acquiring the language by reading
other books ; no attempt is therefore made to combine the learning
of the rules of grammar with the reading of the Hitopadesa or other
books of an easy style. When, however, they have acquired such a
thorough knowledge of grammar as to be able to repeat whole pages of it
by heart, they plunge at once into some of the hardest books of the lan-
guage; the next two years succeeding the three spent on grammar are
devoted to reading the following works: the Bhatti Kavya, or poem
of Bhatti, a work made principally to aid the acquisition of grammar,
every line being an illustration of some particular rule; the Raghu
Vansa, the Kumara Sambhava, Naishadha, Sisupalabadha, Sacontala,
Veai Sanghara, Murari, Bharovi, Prasanna Raghava, Ultara Rama
Charitra, Raghava Pandavi, Vasavadatta. Several of the above works
are known by the name of ‘‘ Mahakavya, or great poems,” a title applied
to only six works ; those of the above which lay claim toit are the Raghu-
vansa, Kumara Sambhava, Sisupalabadha, and Naishadha. The next
year is devoted to Alankara, or rhetoric during which the following
works are read: Sahitiva Darpanam, Kavyo Prakasha, and Chando
Mangari,—all these they learn off by heart.
The next year is devoted to the Vedantas, or works of later
writers, illustrating the scope and objects of several passages in the
Upanishads of the Vedas,’ relating to an abstract and speculative
monotheism. The works read are the Vedanta Sara, Panchdasti, and
Sharirika-shutra.
The next year is devoted to Nyaya, or logic. Works read, Bhasha-
paricheda (the division of language) and the Gautama-sutra.
The next year is devoted to mathematics. Books, the Lilavati and
Bijganita.
136 Note on the Studies in the Sanscrit College. [LNo. 158.
The next three years are devoted to Smzrztz, or law. The books read
are Manu, the Mitakshara, Daibhaga, Dattika Mimansa, Dattaka
Chandrika, Udraha-tattiva, Shuddhi-tattiva, Dayakrama, Sangraha,
and Dhaiva-tattiva. The whole of these last, with the exception of
Manu. are committed to memory ; besides this they are in the habit
of learning by heart the greater part of a dictionary, called the Amara-
kosha (zmmortal treasure, ) which contains the various synonyms of
nouns current in the Sanskrit language, which, with regard to re-
markable objects, as the sun, the ocean, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, a
lotus, a serpent, &c, &c. are unusually numerous.
No student can be received after fourteen years of age in the
Sanskrit College, and the whole time of study spent there is twelve
years !
There are also a number of verses or slokas handed down tradi-
tionally from father to son, generally expressive of some pithy sen-
timent. It is pretty certain that they are not to be found in any
book ; of these, five hundred were known by one individual. Many of the
Pandits during the whole of the above course of study have never read
the Hetopadesa, one of the most curious books in the language, as
being the only one written in prose; all the immense ocean of San-
skrit literature is in verse—even an unprinted novel, containing the
history of an heavenly Apsara, who loved a prince named Chandrapiri,
is in verse: the love of the Apsara reminds us of that of Aurora to Titho-
nus, or Venus to Anchises. The ponderous tomes of the Mahabharata
are often ¢otally neglected by the Pandits, although that poem is called
the “ fifth Veda,” from its sacred character and great antiquity. This
poem and that of the Ramayana, which Sir William Jones termed
the two epic poems of the Hindus, are thus quite cast out of the circle
of the Sanskrit College reading.
As Sanskrit scholars in Europe might feel interest in the above abstract, I pub-
lish it as communicated by a member of our Society, W. Seton Karr, Esq. C. S.,
who originally suggested to me the obtaining a statement of the sort for the
Journal. (Ty
137
Memorandum on the Ancient bed of the River Soane and Site of Pa-
libothra. By E. C. Ravensuaw, Esq., B. C. S., with a Coloured
Map.
One of the chief difficulties in identifying Patna as the site of Pa-
talipootra, the capital of Chundragupta, has been the distance which
at present exists between the river Soane and the city of Patna.
Any satisfactory evidence, therefore, which can be brought to esta-
blish the fact that the confluence of the Soane and Ganges in former
days took place in the vicinity of Patna, is of importance both in a
geographical and historical point of view. Major Rennell, in his
‘‘ Memoir of a map of Hindoostan,” (page 50,) observes, that “‘ Late en-
quiries made on the spot (about 1787 A. D.) have brought out this
interesting discovery, that a very large city which anciently stood on,
or very near, the site of Patna, was named Patelpoother (or Patalipu-
tra according to Sir W. Jones,) and that the river Soane, whose con-
fluence with the Ganges is now at Moneah (Muneer), 22* miles
above Patna, once joined it under the walls of Patelpoother. This
name agrees so well with Palibothra, and the intelligence altogether
furnishes such positive kind of proof, that my former conjecture
respecting Conoge must fall to the ground.” In page 53, he adds,
that ‘‘ The ancient bed of the Soane is yet traceable on the south of
Patna, and seems to have led into the Ganges near Futwah.”
On accidentally meeting with the above passages in Major Rennell’s
work, at the time that the Professional Survey of the Patna district
was going forward, I requested Lieutenant Maxwell of the Bengal
Artillery (the officer in charge of the survey) to endeavour, if possible,
to trace out the course of the old bed of the Soane, with a view either
to verify or disprove the correctness of Major Rennell’s information.
Lieutenant Maxwell entered into the enquiry with his usual zeal, and
with no other hints than what are contained in the above quotations,
was successful in clearly tracing the old bed from a point on the Soane,
near Sydabad (about 18 miles above Muneer) via Bikrum, Nowbut-
poor, Phoolwaree, Meethépoor to Bakipoort, where it appears to have
* It is now only 12 miles above the Golah, and 17 above the Western Gate of the
old Fort of Patna.
t Called by European Residents, Bankipoor.
138 Memorandum on the Ancient bed of [ No. 158.
joined the Ganges about 200 yards west from the Golah, and nearly
opposite the point where the Gunduck falls into the Ganges from the
north. I forwarded the sketch map, prepared by Lieutenant Maxwell,
to Mr. J. B. Elliott, late of the Civil service, the oldest European resi-
dent at Patna, who informed me in reply, that some years ago he had
been led, by the perusal of the Drama called “ Mudra Rakshasha,”
to make similar enquiries from the natives of the place. The follow-
ing isa translation of the result of his enquiries, which corresponds
very remarkably with the scientific survey: “‘ Formerly the course
of the Sone turned eastward from near Sydabad, whence it proceeded
by Ghorhutta and Bikrum to Nowbutpoor, thence via Moorgheea
Chuch Mooradpoor, Danapoor, Ghosunda, Koorjee, and Khugwul to
Phoolwaree. From the latter town it flowed past Khwajapoora,
Sheikhpoora, and Dhukunpoora to Meethapoor ; whence in two
streams (Jurrah) it fell into the Ganges near Bakipoor at the Tukeea
of Shah Rookun Phulwan. From Phoolwaree a small stream (Sotah)
flowed to the eastward, and from opposite Meethapoor, proceeding
in a south-easterly direction, it finally united with the Ganges near
Futtooha, (Futwa). In the time of Mukhdoom Shah Shuruf Ooddeen
Ahmud Yaheea Munéree, (from which a period of upwards of 470
years reckoning to the end of 1251 Hijiree has elapsed,) the main
stream of the Sone, taking its course west of the town of Muneer,
united with the Ganges near that place, and the eastern course with
the Sota became dry.”
Lieutenant Maxwell in his first survey was unable to find any
trace of the river south of Patna, but the information contained in
the above statement regarding the branching off of a Sota, or small
stream, from Phoolwaree, enabled him to discover and to follow the
bed of the stream to the south of the city by Khémee Chuck and
Mirchee, and its exit into the Ganges through the arch of an old
bridge, about 33 miles above Futwa.
The accompanying reduced map on a scale of four miles to the inch,
prepared by Lieutenant Maxwell, will I hope be thought satisfac-
tory as being the first ever published, which clearly defines the ancient
course of the Soane. After receiving this map I met with the follow-
ing passage in Buchanan (page 11, volume I, Mr. Martin’s edition,)
which was written about twenty-three years after Rennell’s remark
a
Par Kehotunysoerg
obmpalwor Francal
oChieradereeinpoor
Chuckovuh Surya
P<
Jafraburahs
e Bing hverch
By kustpeor
- Salary
Futampoor A Shed
S=
fir the OLD BED ef the
2 ———-
——
Ss RIVER sone. &
Mussowrrah
Saale 4 mules = I inch
References
Asimabud:
Phoolware
Mareer
Bulla
Massrowrah
LLLAH PATNA
PURGUNUHS OF
Sandak.
(Styl) W Mawwell. L Zillah Shahabad
Dist? JBeHar
NM Srmssh Lick
ECHR eae enna Amt vt aU yaRe acute
———— » “ 2 tn a tam - cl (ieee aiteense alee eet dead:
(3
+
:
\
mt #5
Gant all
oy ee '
” ,
f *;
Pe a a. % 2 Ey i ps + eM
SET, SOW et aeeces ee
1845. ] the River Soane and Site of Palibothra. 139
above quoted. “The Son, according to the Bengal atlas, formerly join-
ed the Ganges at Manér, but a tongue of land has been formed project-
ing east from the Shahabad district, so that Manér is now three miles
at least above the junction of the two rivers. The S0n receives no
branch during its course in these districts, but sends off some old
channels that in different places are called by its name. The chief of
these separates from the river 11 or 12 miles above Manér, runs
straight east to the thanah of Vikram, and then bends north until
it passes Noubutpoor. Immediately beyond this it sends to the right
a branch*, which, running through the whole breadth of the division
of Bakipoor, joins the dry channel of the Ganges, and is called Mo-
hauleya. The main channel of the Mar-Sont, soon after the separation
of the Mohauleya, divides into two branches, which re-unite before they
fall into the Ganges at Danapur{t. That to the west is called Deonar,
that to the east Bhadaiya. It must, however, be observed that an
old channel may be traced running from this Mar-Son, and parallel to
the Ganges, a great part of the way to Bakipur, near the western
extremity of the Patna city, and this may have been the old channel
of the Son; and Patna may, therefore, have been once at the junc-
tion of this river with the Ganges.”
This account, though differing in some particulars from that of the
survey, agrees generally as to the fact of the confluence of the two
rivers having been at Bakipoor near Patna; and this fact corroborated
by so many separate investigations made at different times,by different
individuals, may therefore be considered as fully established. The
alteration in the course of the Soane is supposed to have taken place in
the time of Shah Shuruf Oodeen Ahmud Ehya Muneeree, 781 Hije-
ree, corresponding with 1379 A. D. The following extract§, from
the Memoirs of the Emperor Baber, proves that in the time of that
monarch the Soane flowed by Muneer in 1529 A. D., and so far cor-
roborates the tradition of its having changed its course about the end
of the fourteenth century. The ‘“ Mudra Rakshasa” shows that the
* Buchanan seems here to have been misinformed, and to have alluded to the
branch which separates at Phoolwaree, instead of at Noubutpoor.
+ ‘* Mar,’’ means dead or dry Soane.
+ Dinapoor.
§ Page 412, Erskine’s Translation.
aif.
140 Memorandum on the Ancient bed of [No. 158.
change had not taken place when that play was written in about the
eleventh century. “ As they informed me that the Son was near at hand,
we rode to see it. In the course taken by the river Son below this
there are a number of trees, which they say lie in Munér. The tomb
of Sheikh Yahéa, the father of Sheikh Shuruf Munér, is there. As
we had come so far, and comeso near, I passed the S6n*, and going two
or three kos down theriver surveyed Munér. Having walked through
its gardens, I perambulated the Mausoleum, and coming to the banks
of the Son bathed in that river.”
Having established the fact that the Soane, in some former age prior
to 1529 A. D. united its waters with those of the Ganges in the vici-
nity of Patna, it is now to be considered how this fact supports the
opinion that the capital of Chundragupta was situated at the junction.
Sir W. Jones, Major Rennell, Wilson, and Wilford, concur that tradi-
tion assigns to this locality the ancient city of Pataliputra. Buchanan,
(in page 26, Volume I. Mr. Martin’s edition) has the following
observation on this point: ‘I have found in this district (Patna) no
traditions concerning Chundragupta, nor his descendants the Bolipu-
tras, although Palibothra, his capital, is by Major Rennell supposed to
be the same with Pataliputra, or Patna. This city indeed is allowed
by the pundits to be called Pataliputra, but Pataliputra has no great
resemblance to Palibothra, nor can Patali be rationally considered as
a word of the same origin as Pali, said to be an ancient name of this
country and of its people and language.”
The following extractt, (freely translated) from the Brihud Kutha
(or Brihut Kutha,) a work supposed to have been written by Barach
(Vararuchi) pundit in the time of Vikrumaditya, king of Oojeen, about
57 B. C. may not be uninteresting, as conveying a popular tradition
through the medium of a fiction, which however it must be owned
is More suited to the Arabian Nights than to the gravity of history.
“‘In Kashomunee, a brahmin named Bhoom Deo, had two sons,
Kooshun and Bukshun, who married Soomut and Purmut, the
two daughters of Surub Siah Mooni. Soomut becoming pregnant, the
two husbands reflected that, as they had scarcely means of subsistence
* He probably crossed near the present Ghat or Ferry at Koilwar.
+ N. B. I believe this is not literally an extract, but a Potee, or tale, founded on
it by one Shunkur Dutt, and called ‘* Patalipootur Pokyan.”’
PO SSO es 2}
1845. ] the River Soane and Site of Palibothra. 141
sufficient for four persons, they should be reduced to starvation on the
appearance of a fifth. They accordingly agreed to set off secretly in
the night in search of better fortunes, and leave their wives to take
care of themselves. The next morning the wives found that their
husbands had deserted them, and wandered about the forest in search
of them. It so happened, that Mahadeo and Parbuttee were making
an excursion through the air, and the goddess seeing the distress of
the two women at the loss of their husbands, entreated Mahadeo to
comfort and relieve them. Mahadeo thereupon called to them, and
told Soomut that the child, which would shortly be born to her, would
prove to be a source of wealth instead of poverty ; that whenever he
awoke from his sleep 1000 deenars would be found in his sleeve.
The celestial visitants then disappeared, and returned to their home
at Kylas. Soon after the birth of the child, which was a boy, the
anxious mother Soomut discovered, to her amazement, that whenever
the boy awoke from his sleep 1000 deenars really appeared shining
from under his elbows. She and her sister Purmut, therefore, speedily
became rich and went to Casi, where they purchased a large house,
and became celebrated all over the country for their munificence and
charity. The boy, being called Pootur (or son) by his parents, was
afterwards styled Raja Pootur by the people of Casi, on account of
his wealth and magnificence. In the mean time Kooshun and
Bukshun, the two husbands, who were residing in Karnath (Carnatic)
hearing the fame of his charities, proceeded to Casi, and applied to him
as mendicants for food and alms. The two ladies recognising their
lost husbands, but not being recognised by them owing to the sump-
tuousness of their dress, placed before them an excellent repast, and
inquired, who they were and whence they came? Upon which
Kooshun detailed their history as above. Soomut then observed, that
there was a remarkable coincidence in their histories, and proceeded to
narrate how they had been deserted by their husbands; how Maha-
deo had appeared to them ; and how her son had been endowed with
the wonderful gift, which was the source of their wealth. ‘The hus-
bands then beginning to recognise the features of their wives, the latter
threw themselves upon their necks and wept rejoicingly.
** All went on happily for some time, when the husbands grew jea-
lous of the great attention which was paid to Raja Pootur, and con-
xX
142 | Memorandum on the Ancient bed of [No. 158.
ceiving the story of the wealth-giving sleep to be a fiction, invented
by their wives to conceal the real source of their wealth, they resolved
to remove the youth from their path, thinking that by so doing they
would obtain the entire control over the money, which was now
squandered by him. On the pretence of its being necessary to the
completion of his education and the benefit of his health that he -
should travel to Bindachul, they sent him, in spite of the remonstran-
ces of their wives, under the charge of eight assassins with instructions
to murder him on the road. Arriving in the depths of a gloomy forest,
they prepared to execute their commission, but their hearts relenting,
they informed Pootur of the real object of the journey, upon which he
promised to reward them if they would allow him to sleep for an
hour. The assassins retired, and at the end of an hour he brought
them 1000 deenars, and gave them a ring from his little finger to
show to his father as a proof of their having murdered him. The assas-
sins returned to Casi, and showing the ring obtained their pro-
mised reward from Kooshun and Bukshun; but the two wives im-
mediately on seeing the ring of Pootur conjectured his fate, and died
on the spot. The wicked husbands were thus reduced again to the
poverty from which they had been relieved.
“In the meantime the youth Pootur proceeded on his journey, and
presently encountered two Rachases, named Bunkut and Sunkut, sons
of Ghurbhaj. ‘They told him, that their father had recently died and
left them three wonderful things, which they found it difficult to divide
between two, and they accordingly requested the advice of Pootur as to
the best method of se;tling the dispute. The three things were—First,
a pair of wooden shoes, which had the virtue of transporting the wearer
immediately to any place he might wish to go to. Secondly, a purse,
out of which the po%sessor could draw jewels and precious stones of
any kind he desired, ad libitum. Thirdly, a staff, which on being erect-
ed in any chosen spot, a beautiful city would arise and endure for ever.
‘“‘Pootur, in answer to the application of the Rachases, proposed that :
they should decide the matter by a race, and that whoever first reached ;
a distant point which he indicated, should retain possession of the three 4
prizes. Agreeing to this, and depositing the stakes with Pootur, they
set off at full speed. Immediately after their departure, Pootur heard
a voice from Heaven, saying, ‘Put on the wooden shoes, fix the purse
1845.) the River Soane and Site of Palibothra. 143
to your girdle, take the staff in your hand, and depart for Singhal-deep,
(Ceylon).’ Pootur acted accordingly, and was out of sight before the
Rachases returned from their race.
“On arriving at Singhal-deep, Pootur alighted on the edge of a tank
where some women were washing clothes. On seeing so handsome a
youth, they declared he must be Kamdeo (the God of Love) himself.
On his informing them that his name was Pootur, they declared that
August Mooni had prophesied, that Patlee the daughter of the king of
Singhal-deep, would marry a person of the name of Pootur, and that
he must be destined to fulfil the prophecy. In the meantime Patlee
had been prepared for his arrival by Narud, a Mooni, then residing
at the palace, who told her that the person destined for her husband
would come from Casi.
“At night while Patlee was sleeping among her hand-maidens, Poo-
tur, having put on the magic shoes, appeared at her bed-side, and
awakening told her that he was Pootur, who had come from Casi to
claim his destined bride. She said, she was willing to attend him ;
but must first get her jewels. He replied, that it was unnecessary, as
he had onty to put his hand in his purse, and he could bring out what
jewels he pleased ; in proof of which, he suited the action to the word,
and continued drawing forth jewels without end, set in the most beau-
tiful forms. Upon this the lady said she was quite at his disposal ;
so he took her by the hand, and thus addressed the Spirit of the Shoe:
‘Go to a spot which is north of Gya, east of the Sonebhudur (Soane
river), west of the river Poonpoon, and which has the Ganges on the
north.’ The Spirit of the Shoe accordingly ascended with them into
the air, and transported them in the course of one hour to the present
site of Patna, where Pootur planted his staff, and a beautiful city
arose from the ground ; which, in honor of his wife, he called Patlee-
poora, or Pataleepooturpoora.
“On the morning after the flight of Patlee, Narud informed the king
of the event, and consoled him with the reflection that, as it had been
predestined, there was no help for it. Narud subsequently paid the
happy pair a visit at Patlee-pootra, and informed Pootur that as the two
Rachases were dead, he need be under no apprehension as to their
enquiry after the three Talismans which he had walked off with. He
ordered him to keep them for 100 years, and then to go to Kylas (the
144 Memorandum on the Ancient bed of [No. 158.
heaven of Mahadeo.) The Mooni departed after making five things:
“Ist. A tank, called ‘Sham Tulao,’ in which whoever bathed was
certain to have children.
‘‘Ond. The Goor Tulao, by bathing in which the sick were cured.
“3rd. The Moonsurwur Tulao, by bathing in which a pregnant
woman was sure to have a boy.
“4th. Ram Tulao, by bathing in which the poor become rich.
“5th. Two ‘Sidh Peets,’ the existence of which secures to a city
perpetual duration and prosperity.
“ Patlee and Pootur lived very happily their 100 years, and then
went to Kylas. They left behind them two sons, Koosum and Puttun,
and one daughter Putnee, from whom the modern name of the city
is said to be derived.”
Moonshee Kunhya Loll, who translated the above story into Oordoo
from the Sunscrit, has attempted to identify the site of the four tanks.
He maintains with considerable gravity, that the ‘‘ Jeeuj Pokur”
near the Durgah of Shah Arzan, is the Sham Tulao, and that women
still bathe in it with the same object. An excavation in the mohulla
of Mogulpoora, called “‘ Nalbund ke Gurha,” he holds to be the Goor
Tulao. <A place called Sheikh Muttee in Chuk Shekarpoor, he consi-
ders to be the remains of the Munsurwur Tulao ; and the khye, or ditch
of Begumpoor, he boldly affirms to be the Ram Tulao. He has not
ventured, however, to discover any traces of the two ‘ Sidh Peets.”
In the Mudra Rakshasha, a Sanscrit Play supposed to have been
written about the eleventh century, the principal scenes of which are
laid at Patalipootra, the capital of Chundragupta, a passage occurs,
which evidently indicates the vicinity of the city to the river Soane.
It will be found in Act IV. page 106, of H. H. Wilson’s translation ;
Molaya Ketu, who is encamped at a distance of five days’ march, thus
issues his final orders for the advance of his army to besiege the city
and dethrone Chundragupta :—
Then let us march. Our mighty Elephants
Shall drink the Sone’s dark waves, and echo back
The roaring of its waters; spread through the groves
That shade its bordering fields intenser gloom;
And faster than the undermining torrent,
Hurl its high banks into the boiling stream ;
|
1845. | the River Soane and Site of Palibothra. 145
Then rolling onwards, like a line of clouds,
That girts in rain and thunder Vindya’s Peaks,
Environ with portentous storm the City,
And lay its proud Walls level with the ground.
That Patalipootra was not only in the neighbourhood of the Soane
but also on the banks of the Ganges, is evident from the following
soliloquy uttered by Chundragupta from the terrace of the Siganga
Palace, at the festival of the autumnal full moon, that is, in the height
of the rainy season, when the river is full and rapid in its course.
How beauteous are the skies at this soft season,
’Midst fleecy clouds, like scattered isles of sand
Upon whose breast the white Heron hovers, flows
In dark blue tides the many channelled stream ;
And, like the pearly blossoms that unfold
Their petals to the night, the stars expand.
Below is Gunga by the Autumn led,
Fondly impatient, to her Ocean Lord,
Tossing her waves as with offended pride,
And pining fretful at the lengthened way.
In this Play the city of Chundragupta is called by the personages
of the Drama by several different names, viz. Pushpapoor, Kasumapoor,
** The City of Flowers,” and Patalipootra. The first cannot be identi-
fied with the name of any place in the neighbourhood. With respect
to the second, it may be remarked that in the tradition above given
from the Brihudkutha, the name of one of the sons of Patlee was
Koosim, from which Koosumapoor may not unreasonably be supposed
to have been derived. ‘‘ Koostim” in Sunscrit means “ Flowers,” and
Koosumapoor, the City of Flowers. There are several names of similar
import at present in the vicinity. Phoolwaree, the name of a town
situated on the bank of the old bed of the Soane, about six miles from
Patna, means “ a place of flowers,” and one of the muhullas, or divi-
sions of the present city of Patna, is denominated “ Goolzar Bagh,”
which in Persian has nearly the same meaning, and which may have
been the Mohamedan translation for Koosumapoor. Indeed it is pos-
sible, (though I cannot say it is very probable) that the different names
given to the city in the Sunscrit Play, may have been the names of
146 Memorandum on the Anctent bed of [ No. 158.
the different mohullas, or divisions of the old Hindoo city, which
have been preserved under altered designations to the present day.
The Grom Deota, or tutelary divinity, is now Putnee Devee, to
whom a small temple is dedicated, and to whom worship is still offer-
ed. Buchanan remarks, (p. 42, vol. I.) ‘‘ The Goddess is said to have
been placed in her present situation by Patali, daughter of Raja
Sudarson, who bestowed the town now called Patna on his daughter,
and she cherished the city like a mother, on which account it was
called Patali-putra, or the son of Patali.” According to the Brihud-
kutha, Putnee was the daughter of Patlee or Patali, but other tradi-
tions preserved in the Skunda Pooran, derive the name of Patna from
a Sunscrit word meaning ‘‘acloth,” the goddess Parbuttee, the wife
of Siva, having dropt her mantle on the spot during her flight to
Kylas. In the “‘ Pali Buddhistical annals” of Ceylon, translated by the
Honorable G. Turnour, (p. 998 vol. vir. of Journal of Asiatic Soci-
ety) Patali is mentioned as having been a mere village in the time of
Buddho, (i. e. 541 B. C.) Buddho is said to have rested here on his
way to Benares from Rajgeer, the capital of the king of Magadha,
whose ministers were then employed in building a citadel for the pur-
pose of checking the inroads of the warlike tribe of Wajjions. Bud-
dho predicted, that the village of Patali was destined to become a great
city, and that it was destined to suffer under the calamity of fire, of
water, and of treachery.
It is worthy of remark, that in the memoir of the Emperor Baber
no mention whatever is made of the city of Patna. The residence of
the Put’han rulers of this part of the country seems to have been at the
fort or town of Behar. Patna, therefore, must have ceased to be a
place of importance prior to the sixteenth century. It appears from the
Girnar® inscription, and also from the life of Shokya, extracted from
Tibetan authorities (p. 317, vol. XX. Asiatic Researches) that Asoka,
the grandson of Chundragupta, continued to reside at Patalipootra,
but after the extinction of the Maurya dynasty, the capital of the
Gangaride, and of the Prachya (Prasii), seems to have been trans-
ferred to Canoge, which under the Gupta dynasty became a city of
great splendour and renown for many ages. ‘This transfer of the seat
* Asiatic Journal, Vol. vit. page 268.
Ne EER TR Ae SA ROE AC ll el eR AE ig ae EE
7
:
1845. | the River Soane and Site of Palibothra. 147
of Government was probably the cause of the desertion of Patalipootra,
and of the oblivion of the name, except when awakened from time to
time by the faint echo of tradition.
The site of the capital of Chundragupta having been fixed by the
evidence above adduced, the next step of the argument is to prove the
identity of Chundragupta with Sandracottas the king of the Prasii,
whose capital was designated Palibothra by Megasthenes, the ambas-
sador of Seleucus Nicator, the immediate successor of Alexander the
Great in the kingdom of Bactria. Athenzus, Diodorus Siculus, Quintus
Curtius, Plutarch, and other historians, mention Sandracottas as the
contemporary of Alexander. Professor Wilson, in his Preface to the
Mudra Rakshasa, observes that ‘‘ Athenzus, as first noticed by Wilford
(A. R. vol. V. page 262,) and subsequently by Schlegel, writes the name
Sandrakoptus, and its other form, although more common, is very
possibly a mere error of the transcriber.” I may here remark, that the
Greek alphabet having no letter which corresponds with ‘‘ Ch,” the
Greek historians were obliged to substitute either the X or the o.
Thus Prachi (which signifies, according to Wilson, the people of the
East) was converted by the Greeks into Prasi, and the river
Chumbul into Swmbu. Diodorus Siculus, on the other hand, changed
Chandromas, a synonyme of Chandra* or Chundragupta, into ‘‘ Xan-
dramas.” If on the principle above explained, the initial S be re-
converted into “‘ Ch,” and the final ‘‘ S,” the usual Greek termination,
be struck off, Sandrakoptas will become “‘ Chandrakopta,” which bears
so striking a resemblance to Chandragupta as to leave little or no
doubt of their identity. Professor Wilson has also pointed out the close
resemblance between the birth, parentage and history of Sandracottas
as described by the Grecian historians, and the account given of
Chundragupta in the Vishnooand Bhugwut Puranas. The similarity
of names, supported by the coincidence in the history of the individuals,
tends to establish the identity of persons, and no reasonable doubt can
therefore be entertained that the Sandracottas of the Greeks was the
Chundragupta of the Poorans.
This point conceded, (and it having been shown that Patalipootra
was the capital of Chundragupta,) the identity of that city with Pa-
* N. B. He is called by both names indifferently in the Mudra Rakshasa.
148 Memorandum on the Ancient bed of [ No. 158.
libothra (stated by Megasthenes, who visited it, to be the capital of
Sandracottas,) follows as a necessary consequence.
Here the argument might be said to have terminated, but it may
not be uninteresting to advert to some other coincidences, as well as
to some discrepancies which have led many learned men toa differ-
ent conclusion.
Arrian (page 214, Rooke’s Translation,) who derived his informa-
tion from the Journal of Megasthenes, says—
“The capital city of India is Palibothra, in the confines of the
Prasii, near the confluence of the two great rivers Erannoboas and
Ganges. Erranoboas is reckoned the third river throughout India,
and is inferior to none but the Indus and Ganges, into the last of
which it discharges its waters. Megasthenes assures us, that the
length of this city is eighty furlongs, the breadth fifteen ; that it is
surrounded with a ditch which takes up six acres* of ground, and is
thirty cubits deep; that the walls are adorned with 570 towers and
64 gates.”
The general resemblance in sound between Palibothra and Patali-
pootra is obvious, and would be more striking if we consider that the
conversion of the Greek letter 9 into “th” is an anglicism, and that
the French and other foreigners do not admit the pronunciation.
The Greek word Tad Bobpa would therefore be rendered Palibothra,
and the ‘‘b” and ‘‘p” being convertible letters, we have Palipotra.
But Buchanan has remarked that P&tali and Pali are by no means
identical, the former having a distinct meaning. PAatali Devee
signifies the ‘‘ Thin Goddess,” whereas Pali was the name of a king,
a people and a language. Wilford (p. 36, vol. [X. Asiatic Researches)
says, ‘‘We are informed in the Bhagavata, that king Maha Nanda
assumed the title of Bali and Maha Bali, consequently his offspring
who ruled after him for a long time were Baliputras: the kingdom of
Mogadha was called the kingdom of Bali, Pali and Poli. The
city in which the Bali, or Paliputras resided was of course denomi-
nated from them ‘ Baliputra,’ or ‘ Paliputra ;? and by the Greeks ‘ Pali-
bothra,’ and in the Pentingerion Tables, ‘ Palipotra.’” In page 38, he
adds, ‘‘ According to Ptolemy, the country of the Baliputras extended
\ ~ ,
* N. B. Thisis a mis-translation for 600 feet broad, TO EUMOG Garr Opor.
1845. | the River Soane and Site of Palibothra. 149
from the Soane to beyond Moorshedabad as far as Rungamutty.” It
seems evident, therefore, either that the Greeks confounded the name
of the City with that of the Dynasty, or that the discrepancy in the name
may be ascribed to the error of copyists of the Greek MSS. at a time
when printing was unknown. Indeed the discrepancies in the spelling
of Oriental names at the present day are quite as great, without the
excuse afforded to the Greeks by successive copies of MSS. Moongeer
is invariably spelt in our maps and in public correspondence, Mon-
ghyr; Khanpoor or Khanpur, is spelt Cawnpoor ; Chandanugur, Chan-
dernagore ; Singhalpetta, Chingleput ; and Mundirraj, Madras; Dihlee
is variously spelt Dilli, Dehly. The right pronunciation of Patna
itself is P’ut’na; of Bankipore, Bakipoor ; and of Dinapoor, Danapoor.
The instances of such corruptions are innumerable, and will readily
occur to all residents in India.
In the above quotation from Arrian, Palibothra is said to have been
situated near the confluence of the Erranoboas and the Ganges. Sir
W. Jones, in his Tenth Discourse, has shown that Hirunyabahoo, or
Erranoboas, was a synonyme* of the Soane. Thus the argument for
the identity of the cities of Patalipootra and Palibothra is materially
strengthened.
The chief objection which has been urged by Wilford, Colonel Frank-
lin, and others against the argument is, I believet, founded on the state-
ment of Pliny, that Palibothra was situated 425 Roman miles below the
confluence of the Jumna and Ganges, which taking the Roman mile
* N. B. All the principal rivers of India have a number of synonymes. ‘The
Ganges has, lam told, 100, which are chanted in Sunscrit verse.
A Pundit has just informed me, in reply to a question whether the Soane had any
other name in Sunscrit, that it was called Hirunyababoo in the ‘“‘ Amur-kosh.” IL
do not know whether this is the work alluded to by Sir W. Jones as being 2000
years old. The namesof the Jumna, the Pundit told me, were Kalindi, Soorujtunia,
Jumna, and Sumunasoosa.
+ Since writing the above I have met with Colonel Franklin’s work. His argument
is founded upon some coincidences in names which appear to be more plausible
than conclusive.
ist. He quotes an extract from the Ootur Poorana, to show that the original name
of a small river, now called Chundun, which unites with the Ganges west of Bhau-
gulpoor, was ‘‘ Errun Bhowuh,’’ or Forest-barn. He considers this to be the
Errunoboas of the Greeks. This petty stream has scarcely a drop of water in it for
six months in the year, and in Arrowsmith’s Map, on a scale of 30 miles to an inch,
it is hardly distinguishable. To reconcile this fact with the description of Maga-
thenes that ‘‘the Errunoboas was the third of Indian rivers,’? Colonel Franklin
has construed the text to mean ‘a river of the third magnitude.’ Then putting
x
150 Memorandum on the Ancient bed of [ No. 158.
at the usually recognised length of 1666 yards*, would give about 402
English miles below Allahabadt, and 175 miles below Patna ; Bhaugul-
poor is only 864 English miles below Allahabad, while Rajmahl is
436 ; so that the proper site of Palibothra, according to this calculation,
would be about half way between the two latter stations. Rennell, in
his ‘“‘ Memoir of the Map of Hindoostan,” has shown, however, that the
Roman mile and Greek stadia varied so much that it is impossible to
say what was the real length of the Roman mile given in Pliny’s
Itinerary. The following are the distances as given by Pliny.
Roman Miles.
Taxila on the Indus to the Hydaspes, (Jelum,) Ae ieee ee)
From Hydaspes to the Hyphasis, (Beyah,) sch Tee -- $890
,, Hyphasis to Hysudrus, (Sutledge,) Sts zs .-. 168
», Hysudrus to Jomones, (Jumna,) .. re es -» ~l68
» Jomones to Ganges, se ie ie se >, AZ
», Ganges to Rhodopa, ale 1 os — aes AO
»» Rhodopa to Calinipoxa, (a City,) .. af side oe, LOF
Carried over, ~. 1244
oe
the Indus, Ganges, and Burumpootur in the first class ; the Soane, Nerbudda, &c. in
the second ; he places the Chundun in ue ena The Greek text however is simply
6 0¢ gooavvooac TPLTOC pev ay Eun tev. Trdwr TOTAMWL.
2nd. He next quotes extracts from the Voyu, Hari Vunsa, Markunda and Ootur
Puranas, which go to show merely that Bali, the son of Bhooput, begat a son called
Balipootra, who was Rajah of Aungdes, that his capital (ninety-six miles by thirty-
six in extent) was Balini, which however was usually called Chumpapooree. Colo-
nel Franklin says, (I do not know on what authority ) that Chumpapooree is the
Chumpanugar of the present day, a village four miles west of Bhaugulpoor ; but sup-
posing this to be so, it does not follow that Chumpapooree was ever called Pali-
bothra. It is probable, that this Bali (who in another part of the extract is said to
have had three sons ‘‘ Aung, Bang and Culing,”’ and all of whom were doubtless call-
ed Balipootras, or sons of Bali) lived long antecedent to the time of Nanda the king of
Magadha, who, according to Wilford, assumed the title of Bali, and from whom
Chundragupta and his descendants derived the title of Balipootras. It is very pos-
sible, that the original Bali may have dwelt at Balini, or Chumpapooree, in the vici-
nity of Bhaugulpoor ; but this circumstance would afford no proof that the capital of
Chundragupta was also situated on that spot.
3rd. Colonel Franklin states, (page 19) that in several Hindoo works Palibothra
is mentioned as situated in the vicinity of hills ; but he has omitted to give a single
passage containing a fact so very important to his argument. It does not seem ne-
cessary to discuss the minor points of Colonel Franklin’s work.
* Adams’ Roman Antiquities.
+ By the Post-office Tables, it is, 227 E. miles from Allahabad to Patna.
:
ree.
— ——
1845.) the River Soane and Site of Palibothra. 151
Roman Miles.
Brought forward, 1244
To the conflux of Jomones and Ganges, sa 20
To Palibothra, xe ae aft Ais or pe Teac
To the mouth of the Ganges, .. - 638
* Total; 2- 2532
* N. B.—The total is not added up in Pliny.
These distances are said to have been measured along the high road,
but as they cannot be made to correspond with the distances by the
present high road from the Indus to the Ganges, it is evident either
that some error as to the figures has crept into the MSS. or (which
is by no means improbable) that the high road 2000 years ago took a
very different course from the high road at present. Rennell, in order
to ascertain the length of the Roman mile assumed by Pliny, mea-
sured on the map along the line of the great road from the Hyphasis
(Beyah) to the mouth of the Ganges, and finding this to be 1140
G. miles while the Itinerary gave 2022 Roman miles, he concluded
that the proportion of one of Pliny’s miles to a Greek mile was as
56 to 100 in horizontal distance, or 7-10ths. of an English mile in road
distance. Agreeable to this mode of computation, he found Patna to be
only 345 of Pliny’s miles below Allahabad instead of 425, as stated
in the Itinerary. This difference of 80 of Pliny’s miles, or 44
Greek miles, he did not consider of much importance, as owing
to the great changes in the course of Indian rivers, it was by no means
certain that in former times the confluence of the Jumna and Ganges
took place at Allahabad as now.
The mode of computation adopted by Rennell is not altogether free
from objection. First, he has omitted to give the stages of the high
road along which he measured the distance. Secondly, which mouth
of the Ganges he assumed as the eastern limit. Thirdly, the precise
point which he considered to be at the mouth of the Ganges. It is
also to be considered that whatever point may have been assumed
by Major Rennell as the mouth of the Ganges, it is in the highest
degree improbable that the same point was situated at the mouth of
the Ganges 2000 years ago. The progress of the Deltas of all rivers,
though slow, is sure: Herodotus (Euterpe, p. 4) says that, ‘‘ In the
152 Memorandum on the Ancient bed of LNo. 158.
time of Menes (*2320 B. C.) the first king, the whole of Egypt, except
the province of Thebes was one extended marsh. No part of all that
district which is now situate beyond the lake of Meris was then to be
seen, the distance between which lake and the sea is a journey of
seven days.” In para. 13 he adds, “In the reign of Meris as
soon as the river rose to eight cubits, all the lands above Memphis
were overflowed ; since which a period of about 900 years has elaps-
ed: but at present, (about 460 B. C.) unless the river rises to sixteen
or at least fifteen cubits, its waters do not reach those lands.” During
the boring in Fort William with a view of making an Artesian well, a
fossil bone was brought up from a depth of 350 feett below Calcutta,
which evidently proves that that part of the Delta is (geologically speak-
ing) a comparatively modern accumulation of alluvial deposits, and it
is not impossible that Calcutta itself may at that period have been not
far distant from the mouth, or one of the mouths, of the Ganges. <Ac-
cording to the Mosaic account, or rather the ecclesiastical interpreta-
tion of it, the world is not yet 6000 years old. If therefore it has
taken 6000 years to form the Valley and Delta of the Ganges, it may
be assumed that it must have taken 2000 years to form a third of
that deposit The exact point at which the Ganges flowed into the
ocean at the period of creation is a geological nut, which I would de-
ferentially submit to be cracked by Dr. Buckland, or Mr. Lyell.
Geology, however, has unfortunately proved that the Mosaic chrono-
logy refers to the creation of man, and not to that of the globe. The
age of the latter seems to correspond more nearly with the endless
Yugs of the Vedas and Poorans, than with the more limited traditions
of the Pentateuch and Talmud.
Although Rennell’s estimate of the Roman mile is open to the above
criticism, we may fall back upon that of D’Anville, a geographer cele-
* This date is taken from Wilkinson’s Egypt.
+ See Vol. vi, page 236, Journal of Asiatic Society ; also vol. 11, page 650.
The rise of the land according to the calculation of Herodotus, would be one foot
and four inches, (1f.4i.)in acentury. In 1702 A, D. the favorable height of the
Nile was 23 cubits, (being an increase of 7 cubits, or 103 feet), in about 2162 years,
(1702 + 460) or 5 inches and 8-10ths in a century. Taking the mean between
1 f, 41. and 5 inches =, viz. 11 inches as the average rate per century, and sup-
posing the rise of the Ganges to have been at a similar rate, a period of 38,181
years would be required to fill up the 350 feet of sand, and alluvial soil below Cal-
cuttta ; but it is probable that the rise was much more rapid prior to the reign of
Meeris, i. €. 3062 years ago, (900 + 2162) than subsequent to that date—at even
2 feet to the century however, it would require 17,550 years !
1845.) _—sthe River Soane and Site of Palibothra. 153
brated for an accuracy in details, which was praised by Sir W. Jones,
and which even Gibbon* said he was afraid to dispute. Rennell ob-
serves in a note, “ D’Anville is of opinion that Pliny turned the Greek
stadia, (of Megasthenes) into Roman miles at the rate of eight to a mile;
and thus accounts for their shortness. D’Anville, who has gone deeply
into the subject, thinks that it requires 1050 Itinerary stadia to make
a degree of the great circle.’ Now a degree of the great circle being
equal to 60 geographical, or 69 English miles, 425 of Pliny’s miles,
or 3400 Greek stadia, would be equivalent to 223 E. miles, which
is only four miles less than the real distance from Allahabad to the
Golah at Patna, as given in the Polymetrical Tables of the General
Post Office. So that if the estimate of the Greek stadia given by the
most accurate of geographers be adopted, the difficulty of reconciling the
distance given by Pliny with the site of Patna is altogether removed.
Beyond the evidence of history and tradition, however, little or
nothing remains to indicate Patna to have been the site of an ancient city.
It is probable that a great part of the original city has been swallow-
ed up by the Ganges. In a map lately constructed by the Revenue
Survey, and from decrees of the Civil Courts, it appears that the main
stream of the Ganges even so late as the Permanent Settlement, or
1790 A. D. was several miles north of its present course. The river is
gradually wearing away the southern bank, and the modern city is
likely to share the fate of the old.
In point of extent the modern town, including the suburbs, does not
fall very far short of that of the ancient. Megasthenes states Palibothra
to have been ten milest long, and about two broad, surrounded with a
ditch, and walls adorned with 570 towers and gates. ‘The length of
the present town from the Golah at Patna on the west to Jafir Khan’s
garden on the east, is about the same length; but the breadth cannot
exceed a mile. It is just possible that the ‘‘Sotah,” or bed of a small
stream, exhibited in the map as running south of Patna from Phool-
waree to near Futwa, may have been the ancient ditch of Palibothra,
as it does not appear to have been ever the main stream of the Soane.
Of the gates and towers no traces remain. There are, however, some
high artificial eminences composed of brick-work, called ‘‘ Punj
Puharee,’ or five hills, about a mile or two south of the town, which
may be the ruins of bastions or towers. There are likewise some
* Miscellaneous Works.
+ Calculated on D’Anville’s principle, it would be much less.
- oo ee ee eee ee . ; 7
154 Memorandum on the Ancient bed of the khiver Soane &c. | No. 158.
hood, evidently composed of the ruins of buildings of considerable
magnitude. One near the Durgah of Shah Arzan, another at Bikna
Puharee, on which a large European house has been built, another
near what is called the Dutchman’s house, and a fourth at Chujjoo
Bagh, on which the house I reside in is situated. It must be admitted,
however, that tradition does not agree in assigning such an origin to
these elevations. As the southern bank of the Ganges gradually gives
way to the undermining power of the current, several old brick wells,
long since closed and built over, have been discovered, and in the
rainy season many ancient Hindoo coins gold, silver, and copper are 7
found. Gold ones of the Gupta or Canoge series, and Boodhist coins
of cast silver and copper are the most common.
:
other singular elevations in different parts of the town or neighbour-
|
It is not, however, a matter of surprize, that the waves of time
should have obliterated what those of the Ganges may have spared,
in a country where the destructive power of vegetation is so great and :
rapid.
In 2000 years how many cities, empires, and even religions, have
passed away! Of Babylon, Susa, Ecbatana, and Persepolis, cities
cotemporary with Palibothra, scarce a stone remains to mark their
site to the puzzled antiquary. ‘‘ Assyria, Greece, Rome, Carthage,
what are they.”*
The empires of Montezuma and the Incas have likewise risen,
flourished, and disappeared within that period. The religions of Zo-
roaster, Osiris, Jupiter, and Odin, have been superseded by that of
the Crescent or of the Cross. When cotemporary cities have perished,
and cotemporary empires have decayed, there is little room for won-
der that nothing should remain of the capital of Chundragupta save
a few mouldering heaps.
Tempus edax rerum! tuque in vidiosa Vetustas,
Omnia destruitis ; vitiataque dentibus evi,
Paulatim, Jenté, consumitis omnia morte.
Omnivorous Time! and thou invidious Age,
Consumest all things in thy wanton rage.
Worn, day by day, by Time’s remorseless teeth,
Man and his works at last must sink in death.
E. C. R.
* Childe Harold, Canto 4,
JOURNAL
OF THE
ASIATIC SOCIETY.
Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, a History of Sindh. By.
Lieut. Postans.
[Continued from page 99. ]
Account of the circumstances attending the death of Mahamed
Bin Cassim.
Thus, when the two daughters of Dahir, Purmul Deo and Suraj
Deo, who were on the howdah with him, arrived for the service of the
Khalif, he saw that they were extremely beautiful, and appropriated
them to himself; still, in order to dissipate their shyness and distress,
he committed them to the care of the keepers of the Harem, and after
a time called one to his bed. Now since the death of their father had
sorely afflicted them, she said, “I am not for the Khalif, for Maha-
med Cassim took me to himself for three nights.” The Khalif on hear-
ing this was enraged, and at once wrote an order himself and despatched
it, to the intent, that on seeing that order, he, Mahamed Cassim, should
cause himself to be enclosed in a raw hide and sent to the presence
of the Khalif This order was received by Mahamed Bin Cassim
at Yassur: sufficient was it that the order was from the potentate, to
which there is but obedience ; he was sewed up in a raw hide and sent
off: on the third day he died; they put his body in a box and took it
to the Khalif, who immediately called the two women and said, “See
how absolute is my power.” They laughed and said, ‘In the accom-
plishment of the wish of the Khalif there is no wavering; but in
justice and wisdom there is neither foresight or discrimination, seeing
the man, who treated us as if he were our father and brother, on our
No. 159, No. 75, New Serius. 2A
156 Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, [ No. 159.
simple words, longing as we do for revenge, without enquiry into the
truth or falsehood, has been destroyed: our wish was retribution for our
father’s death. Mahamed Cassim moreover was deficient in wisdom; he
should according to the order have started on his journey, but have
delivered himself from the hide after one day, and have arrived alive:
we have undoubtedly told the truth in our evidence, and we resign
our lives.” The Khalif was ashamed, and ordered them to be tied to
the foot of an elephant and dragged through the bazar and burnt.
The Khalifs of Bint Oomai and their Deputies.
After the conquest of Sindh by Bin Cassim, according to what has
Deputies of the Kha- been related, Harraf Bin Keiss Bin Rawah Assadi
lifs of BiniOomaie = remained in charge of Alor, and the individuals before
mentioned were governors as appointed. After them the people of Hind
became rebellious, and from the confines of Dibalpur to the sea, remain-
ed in the hands of the Moslem deputies. After atime Abu Hifaz, Bin
Kutibah, Bin Mussilim arrived from Hijjaj7, and punished those who ~
had not embraced the true faith: the (Hindoo) deputies being help-
less, fledto Khorassan. About that time Jamin Bin Zeid also arrived
from Hijjaj, and on the part of the Khalif Suliman Amin Bin Abdul-
lah, openly obtained the government of Sindh; and in the year 100 H.
Oomur Bin Abdul Aziz, Bin Umeer, Bin Muslim came to conquer
Hind. He took some of those countries, and made some of the tribes of
Sindh Mahomedans; but in the time of the Khalif Hasham, they se-
ceded. Suliman Bin Hashan, as is related in the first vol., fled from
the army of Mirwan and came to Sindh, where, intent on rebellion, he
remained until Saffah obtained the Khalifat; he then embraced the
service of Saffah: also Abul Khitab arrived on the part of Mirwan.
The period of the government of the deputies of the Khalifs of Binz
Oomai extended from the year 93 until 133 H. All
The authority of the this period from the commencement of the 93 H.
Khalifs of Bini Oomai
over Sindh extends to until the period mentioned, is 40 years. Since the
sated a9 aus government of the deputies of the Khalifat of the
house of Bini Oomaz was as described, now it is neces-
sary to relate the government of the deputies of Binz Abbas. Stillthere
are a few circumstances connected with this period which must be
related, and which I shall compress as briefly as may be.
1845.] a History of Sindh. 157
Let it not be concealed, that when the deputies of Bint Oomaz took
Sindh, some of the dependencies of the country were yet disobedient
to the great authority (of the Khalifs.) In short, Dihz Rahz, descended
from the Rahis, was in the city of Dihir a place of renown, and Bim-
hul Rahi was at Bhunbur, which city he had founded.
Account of the Deputies of the Khalifs of Bini Abbas.
When Saffah, who was the first Khalif of Binz Abbas, came to the
throne, in the year 133 H., he sent a force under Da’ud. Bin Alli, and
the government of Sindh was taken from the deputies of Bint Oomai.
. After four years Abu Jaffir Mimsur Abbasi, ordered and prepared an
army for Sindh and Hindoostan : in the time of Harun Reshid, Moussa
the brother of Fazil came from Mecca to the governorship of Sindh,
but, giving away all he obtained, he was dismissed. Alli Bin Isa, Bin
Haman came in his place ; at this time the fort of Zibm, an impreg-
_nable fortification near Sahurah and the city of Bakar, and other
places in that vicinity, westerly from Sindh, were in the hands of
Sheikh Abdul Tihrah, whose tomb with those of other holy men (mar-
tyrs) are still places of pilgrimage to true believers, and on the top of
the dome it is written, that he died in the year 171 H. The city of
Bhunbur having been destroyed, they proceeded elsewhere. At length
Abul Abbas arrived as governor of Sindh, and remained there a long
period. In the time of Mam’on, some further portions of Hind were
added to the possessions of their deputies. After him, other individuals
were appointed from Bagdad to the governorship of Sindh, until during
the Khalifat of Abdul Kadir Billah al Abbas, when Abmed Assak, Bin
Ahmukhtidar Allah, was appointed. In the middle of the month
Ramzan 416 H., Sultan Mahmitid Ghazi arrived at
416 H., 1025 A. D. j
Mahmiid of Ghuzni Multan from Ghuzni, and having captured Ooch,
aah: Lanipeeiaea ata drove out the deputies of Abdul Kadir from the coun-
tne att oty ot ice try of Sindh. The period of the government of the de-
283 years. puties of the Khalifs of Bini Abbas, from the com-
mencement before mentioned is altogether 283 years.
The tribe of Suwmrah had 200 years previously taken possession of
certain portions of Sindh, but as they had paid tax and tribute, and had
Tribe of Sumrah tobe P&e@ Obedient to the Moslem governors, no mention
described hereafter. has been made of them: but after having related the
|
158 Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, [No. 159.
dynasty of the deputies of Ghuzni, and considered the emperors of
Delhi, we will relate the rule of some of the above-mentioned tribe.
List of the Deputies of Ghuzni, and narrative of the Emperor of Delhi.
As before mentioned, Aédul Rizak the minister of Sultan Mahmid
Ghuzni deputies. Ghazz, in the year 417 H. having taken Bukkur, arriv-
ed at Sewistan and Tattah, and the governors of Binz Oomaz and Bini
Abbas had not remained there, except a small portion who had formed
connections, and were encumbered with families : they were men of note,
and received stipends from the government.
From amongst these were 18 families, the heads of generations.
Didieulshea heuds Briefly: the Sukufis, a family of Cazis originally of
of families. Bakar and Alor, from the descendants of Mussa
Bin Yakub, Bin Tahi, Bin Mahamed, Bin Shiban, Bin Ushman Su-
kufi who, with the Cazi Ismail, Bin Alli, Bin Mussa, Bin Tahi
were the first relaters of the conquest of Sindh in Arabia, and their
great grand-father Mussa Bin Yakub, was confirmed by Bin Cassim as
Cazi of Alor after the conquest of that fort: and the “* Zamims” and
‘© Hal Mogheirahs,” (which term became slightly changed to Hal
Tuhim and Ibn Soriah,) and the Abbasis and Sadiks, Farukians and
Ooshmamans, who up to this present time are to be found in all Sindh;
and the Phonwarans descended from Haris and the tribe of Mungi,
a branch of the Tamins, the family of Jubiriah, of whom Sheikh Tahi
in the account of Hullani will be mentioned; and the family of Binz
Assad, of whom is Sheikh Mirtah, will be alluded to at Futtipur; the
family of Hal Hutbeh of whom is Cazi Bahran, he also will be referred
to at Futtipur; the family of Benwabi Sufian, of whom are some dur-
veshes of Rahib; the family of the tribe of Bajur, governor near Jehanker,
the descendants of Jaremah Jusari, of whom is the tribe of Sapiah,
who are the possessors of Sewistan; and the Jhutts and Beloochees
are originally from Harun Mikrani, and it will be more convenient
to relate the genealogies of the Beloochees and Jhutts without delay.
Origin of the Jhutis and Beloochees.
Mahamed Bin Harun Mikrani, who has been mentioned in the ac-
count of the officers of Mikran, and who came with Makamed Cassim
at the time of the conquest of Sindh as far as Armanbihah, where he
a oe.
4
,
1845.] a History of Sindh. 159
died and was buried, is the son of Mahamed Haban, Bin Abdul Rahim,
Bin Hamzeh, Bin Abdul Mathab. Once, when Meer Hamzah (may God
approve him) went out to hunt in a country far in the desert, he became
alone there, and, according to the favour of the Most High who is always
propitious to good and great men, a good genius or fairy appeared to
keep him company; by the Divine will he embraced her, and she be-
came hidden from his sight : afterwards she brought forth Abdul Rahim.
In short, Mahamed Bin Harun had fifty-two sons by seven wives.
Thus, one: Jsa, Mikran, Hijaz, Satak, Bikram, Rustum, and Jillah
from one mother named Hamira; Zumal, Mazid, Radah, Buhlal,
Shahbab, Nizam, Julal, Marid, from one mother named Hamiri ; Roe-
din, Mussa, Noki, Noh, Mundah, Raza-al-din, from Miriam; Jullal
from Hashiat ; Adam, Kumal, Ahmed, Humad, Hamud Said, Masud,
from Musma,; Mudi, Shir, Koh, Babund, Kark, Nowar al din, Hus-
san, Hasein, Suliman, and Abrahim, from Fatimah ; Alim, Alli, Tir-
hush, Buhpad, Teghzan, Mubarik, Turk, Tallah, Arbi, Shiraz, Taj-
al-deen, Takht, Gulistan, and Birk from Khwah. When, according to
the order of Hijjaj as related, Mikran was cleared, that land with
others was appointed into two shares, and one share was given to the
descendants of Jallal al deen, and they came to Sowah and Kich,* and
their descendants are to this day scattered in great numbers all over
Sindh. The tribe of Lodah also called Lulian, have their origin thus.
The illustrious Sudzman sent familiar spirits in the shape of men to
purchase slave girls at Rum. On their return, one of these had connec-
tion with one of the women; Suliman gave her to him, and a boy was
born: afterwards his descendants mixed with the Arabs, and came to
Sindh at the time of the conquest, or before.
Account of the origin of the tribe of Sumah.
The narrative of these people, as is necessary, will be fully told
in the course of this history. Sam, who is said to have been
the son of Amir, the son of Sham Bin Abal Suhub, and again the son
of Umar Bin Akrameh Bin Alu Jahul, or the son of Akrameh Bin
Abul Hisam, Bin Abbu Jihil: there are, however, various reports, of
which the following is the most consistent. That they were de-
* Kich Mikran.
160 Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, [No. 159.
scended from Jamshid, whence they took the title of “Jam,” with
which they were distinguished ; or else they were from Sam the son of
Noh: he had four sons, the first Budha, (his descendants were Budh,
Sodah, Sittah, Ahkil, Ootah, Amiah, Hazir, and in short there were
sixteen sons generally known by the title of Rathur,) and the second
Sankah, the third Hami, and the fourth Bhakirat. This Bhakirat
had a son called Dusrut. Now Dusrut had three wives, one named
Kila, the second Kuliah, and the third Simah: from Kila there
were two sons, one named Ram, the other Lukhman ; from Kuliah one
son Barat; and from Simah one son Chutur Kim. To Sunkah the
son of Sam there were also descendants, and also to Hami; they
were called Judur. Barat the son of Dusrut had descendants call-
ed Purhur, Jansipar, Gorijah, and Rahih Chatar Khan; the son
of Dasrat had descendants, called Charah, Lukhman; son of Das-
rat had no children; Ram had one son, who had a son called Zaw-
akus, who had a son called Zatal, who had a son called Nirkanat ; his
son was called Kin, (the city of Kin* is so called after him.) The son
of Kin was entitled Sambat Rajah. Sambat Rajah had four children:
1, Sam Bir Kirarah, also called Sham; 2, Nihrat; 3, Dakhan;
and 4, Madah. In short, Sam the son of Sambat Rajah, had a son
called Jadim. Jadim had four sons: first, Habié whose descendants are
the Sumahs of Sindh; the second Kajbit, whose descendants are the
Chughdah ; the third Buhobut, his descendants are the tribe of Bhatti ;
the fourth Chira Sumah, of his descendants is Rahi Diach, the gover-
nor of Kurnal, a fort situated in the land of Soorteh: he became a martyr,
and the tale of the love and devotion of his wife is well known. Habie
the son of Jadim, the son of Sam, the son of Sambat Rajah, had a son
named stubdari ; he had a son called Mijat, he had Nootyah, he had
Udha, he had Udheh, he had Lakyah, and he had Lakah. Lakahwasa
sovereign, and married into the Bhatz tribe: he had four sons. Thus,
first, Udhuh without children ; Udhuh, which was his place of abode,
is called after him. Second, Mahir, who had four sons: 1, Sttah ;
2, Waditar Patheria; 3, Wirhah, without children; and 4, Sand,
also without children. They say that the above-mentioned Lakah mar-
* ‘ Kin and Kashmir,”’ as they are called in Sindh, on the southern confines of the
Seikh territories; they formerly belonged to Sindh, but now belong to Multan and
the Seikh government.
Let”. ae v-
1845.] a History of Sindh. 161
ried again in his old age, and had four sons. First, Oomur; second,
Jeyur, (his descendants are Babrahs, Dukemehs, Kulah ;) third, Phul
Lakah*, (the Philant are known as his descendants ;) fourth, Munayah.
Oomur the son of Lakah had a son named Lakah; he had a son named
Sumah, who had two sons, one named Kakah, and the other Jikrah.
Kakah became a ruler, (the place called Kakah is so called after him ;)
he had two sons, one Palit and the other Faydin, from the descen-
dants of Palli. Musruk Sumah became a governor, and Raydin had nine
sons. Thus: first, Swmal, the Samyahs are his descendants; second, No-
tyar, all the Nouts are his descendants; third, Lakah, his descendants are
Lanjar, Mukdoom, Sihar, Lanjar, (God’s mercy be on him) of whom
mention will be made in the account of the Sheikhs, belongs to him;
fourth, Abrah, whose descendants are Daod, Zahir Nayah and Fal Nayah;
fifth, Mayah; sixth, Chamir; seventh, Munhayah ; eighth, Koriah (the
descendants of these three last tribes are the Mundrah ;) ninth, Palli who
was a chief and had two sons, first Oodah, whose descendants are the Ba-
riah Oodejah (also called Gordrah Putrah,) and second Saud, who was
the chief of the tribe. Saud the son of Pall had seven sons: first, Kakah,
whose descendants are the Kakejah Putrah ; second, Jarah, who had de-
scendants the Jahiejahs; third, Waderah ; fourth ***; fifth, ingarah, his
descendants are Hodejah, Juksia, Wurha and Hingoja; sixth, Dirah,
his descendants are Dirah Sumah in Cutch; seventh, Jam Hoti, who
had five sons; first, Halah, his descendants are known as the Halah ; se-
cond, Hingorah, his descendants are Bumian, Ruhuriah, Hingorah, and
they founded the places thus mentioned; third, Sahz, his descendants
are Sahir Sumah ; fourth, Chalidriah, his descendants are well known as
Nihirah ; fifth, Jam Hapur, who had two sons; first Raojah, second Jam
Jumur, who had a son Kirraha; he had three sons: first, Saudh, whose
descendants are Raoma, Lakayat and Jekrah ; second, Sumrah, who had
no children ; third, Zakah Jan, who had one son Kalah, who had a son
called Lekah ; after whose death he had another called Brekanah, he took
the name of his father. Lakah Bin Kahah, the brother of Nahah, had
twelve sons: thus, first, Jam Jumur, from whom are descendants the
Sumahs, the rulers of Sindh residents of Sanwir, who will be mentioned
* « Laka Philani,’”? an heroic Rajptt prince, well known in Cutch traditions ; the
Jhareejahs of Cutch date their origin from the Sumahs of Sind, (see Mrs, Postans’s
‘* Cutch,”’ or the traditions of ** Laka Philani.’’
162 Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, [No. 159.
in their proper places; second, Oomur, who ruled in Buhriah, he had
no children; third, Palli, whose descendants are Palli Sumah ; fourth,
Kahah, his descendants are Sodiari Sumah ; fifth, Hoteh, his descen-
dants are Sahib Sumah, Hoteh Sumah, and Sekawutteh Sumah ; sixth,
Jeysur (or Jeyur,) whose descendants are the Beyah Purya; seventh,
Mangur, without children; eighth, 4brah, whose descendants are the tribe
of Abrejahs ; ninth, Hingorah Konur ; tenth, Sultan; eleventh, Rayidam ;
twelfth, Lakah. In short, Hingorah Konur had three sons: first, Deysur ;
second, Minayah ; and third, Miradeyah. Deysur had five sons; Kah,
Halah, Rukun, Hingorah, and Jonah. Jonah the son of Lakah, above-
mentioned, had five sons: first, Khoreah ; second, Tajiah ; third, Abrah ;
fourth, Beloch; fifth, Babniah. The account of the descendants of Bab-
niah, who ruled in Sindh, will be mentioned in the dynasty of the Sumahs.
Let it not be concealed, that according to what has been related,
_ the descendants of Sumah are to this day the prin-
Sumahsarethe prin- : ; :
cipal inhabitants of cipal natives of the countries of Sindh and Guzerat,
Re eats Ce and Sindh was previously cultivated and inhabited
by them. -Besides this tribe, the Jhutts and Beloo-
chees and the descendants of others as alluded to, were from the older
time inhabitants of that country: others might also be enumerated in
addition to these, but since it was not intended in this work to make
other than an abbreviated account, and to adhere to a few events
which are most interesting, if any one should require further particu-
lars let him look for them (elsewhere.) In short, after the deputies of
Sultans of Delhi. Sultan Mahmdd, those of Sultan Masud, Sultan
Modud, then of Sultan Mahdud, then of Sultan Kutub Aldin, then the
deputies of Sultan Aram Shah, all of whom are mentioned in the Ist
and 2nd vols. as connected with Sindh, came to that country, and
during the time of the Sultanut, it was divided into four portions;
Multan, Ooch, and the whole of Sindh fell to the government of
Nasir Uldin Sibajah, and at that period seven Rajahs in Sindh from
Soyen ejahs pat the places which shall be mentioned, paid tribute
tribute to Multan. to Multan. First, Rana Bhansur Satah Rathur, resid-
ing at Zihrah, belonging to Dirpilah ; second, Rana Sami, son of Dimach
Kirecheh of the tribe of Sumah, belonging to Turk in the territories
of Rupah; third, Jeysar, son of Hijah Machee Solanki, inhabitant of
Maunktan ; fourth, Wakijah, son of Panun Chunun, belonging to Dirah
a
7
1845. ] a History of Sindh. 163
Siwe, fifth; Chunun, son of Dehtuk, of the tribe of Chund, inhabitant
of Bukkni; sixth, Zeyah, son of Durya, inhabitant of Julan (viz. Hami
Kot); seventh, Jiswad Dirhan Agrah, inhabitant of Min Tukar, be-
longing to Bhanirwah. In short, when Lahore was taken by the
deputies of Taz-ul-din Yelduz, the prince Nasir-ul-din Kibajih retired
to Multan, and at the end of the year 623 H., Mulk Khan Khilzye and
his followers took possession of the town of Se-
623 H. Mulk Khan i ; Pes p
Khilzye takes Sewis- wistan. Sultan Iitimus sent his minister Nizam-ul-
te Mulk, Mahamed Bin Assad, to besiege Ooch, and he
himself proceeded to Delhi. Mizam-ul-Mulk in the year 625 H., took
Ooch by negotiation, and proceeded towards Bukkur; Nasir-ul-din
fled and died, Sultan Shums-ul-din became master of Sindh. Noor
ul-din Mahamed in the year 630 H. was governor of Sindh; and in 633
Sultan Jitimus died, and Massud Shah was his heir. In the con-
fusion of events, a Moghul army crossed the river of Sindh and besieged
Ooch; but, being defeated by Sultan Mussud, fled to Khorassan. Sultan
Mussud sent Mulk Jullah-ul-din in the place of Noon-ul-din as go-
vernor of Sindh, and at this time Masir-ul-din Mahamed, uncle of Sul-
tan Massud, became heir to the throne and crown, and in the year 649
649 Hy Sultin Mas- having passed through Lahore, Multan, Ooch and
sud gives Sind to the whole of Sindh, he gave that country to Mulk
Mulk Sunjur.
. Sunur and returned; and in the beginning of the
year 663, Sultan Ghias-ul-din succeeded to the throne of Delhi, and
663 H. gar Ghias. 84V€ the government of Lahore, Multan and Sindh
ul-din succeeds to to his son Sultan Mahamed, and after three years he
the Delhi throne.
- returned to the service of his father at Delhi, and
returned again after a year. In the year 683 H., Sultan Mahamed was
killed by the troops of Jenghiz Khan, and his son Key Kostén succeeded
him. Sultan Julal-ul-din Khiljy, in the year 693 H., arrived at Lahore,
and gave Multan and Ooch in charge to his son Arkuli Khan, and
Nusrut Khan remained to govern Sindh. In short, in the year 695 H.,
Sultan Hullaw-ul-din sent his brother Shah Khan to drive out
Arkuli Khan; but Nusrut Khan, as formerly, with a force of 10,000
retained possession of Multan, Ooch, Bukkur, Sewistan and Jattah. In
the beginning of the year 697 H., there was a report of the march of a
Moghul force from Seeistan to Sewistan, and it (Sewistan) was captured.
Nusrut Khan released himself. At the close of the rule of the Sultan
eB
164 Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, [No. 159.
Hillaw-ul-din, Ghazi Mulk was sent with 10,000 Sowars to Dibalpur
to drive out the Moghuls of Jenghiz Khan. Multan, Ooch, and Sindh
were made over to him as a jahgir, but in the revolution of events
Kosan Khan usurped the throne from his father. Ghazi Mulk taking
the army of Multan, Ooch and Sindh, overthrew Kosén Khan and took
the throne, and he was styled Sultan Ghzas-ul-din. At this time the
The tribe of Sum. MC Of Sumrah came forth and took possession of
tantake possessionof Jattah. Sultan Ghias-ul-din sent Mulk Jaj-ul-din to
Multan, Kwajeh Khatria to Bukkur, and Mulk Hale-
shir to Sewistan. After a time when Mulk Kush-koo-Khan became re-
bellious in Multan, Sultan Mahamed Shah, the son of Sultan Ghias-
ul-din, in the year 723 H., came to Multan and subdued him; then
having placed confidential servants at Bukkur and Sewistan, he returned.
751 H. Jaghi Ghul- In the year 751 H., Jaght Ghullam having arrived
dam invades Sindh. at Jattah from Gujrat, Kach, and other places,
pitched at Jahir on the edge of the river; but being annoyed with fever,
he marched from thence and came to Kandul, where he recovered, and
returned to Jattah; from which he remained and surrounded Jattah on
four sides, but he died of the same complaint as above-mentioned.
Sultan Feiroz Shah then possessed the throne. Jaght was at Jattah,
The Sumrahs and 224 hearing of his death he attacked the men of
Jharijahs defeat Fei- Sumrah, the Jharijahs and Sumahs, and was defeated.
roz Shah at Jattah.
The Sultan in the beginning of the month of Safar of
the above year, marched from the neighbourhood of Jattah on the
river Sankrah ; he directed a fort to be built. Amz Nasur remained
there with 1000 horse ; he built a city called Nusurpur, and he ap-
pointed Mulk Bihram, chief magistrate in those districts ; he built Bih-
rampore, and Mulk Allishir and Mulk Jaj Kafurt were left at Sewis-
tan as governors. He then proceeded to Bukkur. Mulk Kuknahdin
and Mulk Abadul Aziz were appointed Naib and Dewan, with a party
of trusty men as guardians of the fort; and Mulk Kuku-ul-din had
the title conferred on him of Jkhlas Jani, and was made governor of all
the country of Sindh. The Sultan then returned to Delhi. After this,
in the year 773 H. having determined to take Nuggur Kot, he came to
773 Hi. gh pie Fe. Vattah; Jam Kheir-ul-din, the governor of Jattah, de-
roa, feaais opie again fended himself in the fort, surrounded by water, and
the Sultan by reason of the want. of grain and the
1845. | a History of Sindh. 165
abundance of musquitoes, returned to Jattah. Jam Kheir-ul-din being
promised pardon, proferred his service ; he took with him all the zu-
meendars to Delhi, but when they reached Sehwan it was discovered
that the Jam meditated escape ; he was chained and imprisoned. After
a time Jam Junur, son of Jam Kheir-ul-din, was invested with the
governorship of Jattah, and in the year 790 H. Feiroz Shah died, and
790 H. Death of sultan Jughluk Shah succeeded him ; after him, Sul-
Feiroz Shah. tan Abu Bukur, then Sultan Mahamed Shah, then
Sultan Sikundur Shah, then Sultan Nasir-ul-din, came to the throne
of Delhi: he sent Sazang Khan to take possession of Dibalpur, Multan
and Sindh ; and in the year 800 H., Mirza Pir Mahamed Nezah, a noble
of Timiurs, crossed the river of Sindh, and invested the fort of Ooch.
Mulk Alli, who on the part of Sazang Khan was in that place, resisted
for a month. Sazang Khan sent Jaj-ul-din Khan with 4000 men to as-
sist him ; he released Mirza Pir Mahamed, and defeated Sazang Khan:
he invested Multan, and after six months Sazang Khan became obe-
dient and delivered up Multan. At this time Sahib Karan in the year
801 H. descended on Multan: from this period the Sultans of Delhi lost
dominion in Sindh over the governors in that country,
801 H. The power of
the Delhi sovereigns who themselves obtained power.
in Sindh decline.
The Tribe of Sumrah. .
Some of this tribe ruled in parts of Sindh, as has been mentioned,
previous to this. Thus the whole time that their
Se ie authority extended was 550 years; and therefore,
after the descendants of Jamim, the last of the deputies of Bini Abbas,
seeing their power, the narrators of history began to make mention |
of them; at that time, as will be mentioned, the government of Sindh
passed to the Goris and Ghuzniris, and this tribe of itself became
powerful, as will be related.
And now’ the origin of this tribe is not clearly traced; but they
Orne ot Sucrahs Were evidently old inhabitants of the country, and
obscure. they are apparently connected with the descendants
of ‘ Sindh.” In short; according to what has been previously related,
when in the year of 720 H. Ghazi Mulk collected the army of Sindh
166 Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, [No. 159,
and Multan, and took it to Delhi and subdued Khosrow Khan, he suc-
ceeded to the throne ; and Sultan Ghias-ul-din, Jughluk Shah was his
Now ther meant title: whilst he was occupied with affairs in that
ed power. quarter, the,men of Samrah collected from the vici-
nity of Jhwri and placed a man named Surmah in the governor’s seat,
and, having possessed the country, he espoused the daughter of a
zumeendar named Saud, who was of power and rank: by her he had a
son, named Bangur Khan. Sumrah died, Bangur succeeded him, and
his son Dodah took possession of the country to Nusurpur; he had a
son named Sungar, a minor, and the government of the country came
to Jaree, daughter of Dodah; and when Sungur became of years he
succeeded to the governorship, and proceeded towards Cutch and subdued
the country to the river Manak. As he had no children, his wife Hei-
mus’ brother was appointed governor of the city of Toor and Thurri.
After a short time Dodah Sumrah, who was governor in the fort of
Dakah, collected his tribe from the surrounding country, and extirpa-
ted the brother of Heimus. At this time Dodu and Phatu, descendants
of Dodah, came out with a large force, and gave him the chieftainship ;
he ruled for some time, and after him Kheira took possession of the
country ; then Armil succeeded to it, but being an oppressor, the men
of Sumah collected and killed him ; this was in the year 752 H. : but the
beginning and end of this tribe as rulers is by others otherwise related.
Thus in the Muntukhib al Juwarikh, when Sultan Abdul Rashid, Bin
Sultan Mahamed Ghazi, succeeded to the throne, his imbecility caused
the inhabitants of Sindh to be rebellious, and in the year 445 H. the men
of Sumrah collected near Thurri, and placed a per-
445 H. The Sum- son named Sumrah in the governship. Sumrah pos-
rahs placed Sumrah ' : "
on whe naan sessed his elevation for a long period, and had a son
Descendants of
See Bangur by the daughter of a zumeendar named Saud,
and died. Bangur Bin Sumrah ruled for 15 years; in
the year 461 H. he died: after him Dodah Bin Bangur governed for
24 years, and in the H. 485 he died. After him Sungar for 15 years ;
after him Hufif 36 years; after him Oomur 40 years; Dodah the se-
cond 14 years; Phutto 33 years; Kheysurah Dodah third 14 years ;
Jahi 24 years; Chami 18 years; Bangur second 15 years; Hafif the
second 18 years; Dodah the fourth 25 years; Oomur the second 35
years; Bangur third 10 years: after him Hamir succeeded to the govern-
1845.] a History of Sindh. 167
The Sumahs over- ment, but being a tyrant, the tribe of Sumah over-
threw the Sumrahs. threw him, which will be mentioned in the course
of the history of that tribe. Oomur Sumrah founded the fort of
Oomur Kot; Dilu Rahi, son of Dilu Rahi before-mentioned, governor
of Dilu, was a tyrant and given to infamous practices: to his tyranny
and oppression is ascribed the destruction of Alor.
Account of the destruction of the City of Alor.
It was a custom of that unjust tyrant to take half the property of
every merchant who arrived from Hind as duty
ae ew tiene and tax, and he seized the wives of the inhabitants.
the taramny of Dilu A wealthy and influential merchant who had the
; _ title of Seif-ul-Mulk, and a few other princes
with him dressed as merchants, but who were on pilgrimage to Mecca,
being ignorant of that villain’s proceedings, entered his capital: the
merchant had with him a beautiful woman named Budeh-al-Jumal ;
at that time the river Mihran ran close to Alor. Hearing of the
beauty of Budeh-al-Jumal, Dilu Rahi became anxious to possess her,
and wished to arrest the merchant under the pretence of his intending
to smuggle his goods. The unfortunate merchant for three days tried to
persuade the tyrant, and vented his complaints mightily to the Most
High; and as the supplications of the afflicted are accepted, he was
inspired with a dream, that in the morning he should conceal himself,
and taking a party of stone-cutters famous as firhad, and having
bribed them well, during the following night cut a passage through
the hills for the passage of the river, large enough for a boat, and on
the other side erect a strong embankment. Although both these ap-
peared impossible tasks, yet by the help of the Almighty they were
accomplished. The merchant with his boats passed safely by that road ;
and the river Mihran, quitting its former passage, took tlie course
which it now takes. In the morning the people told Dilu Rahi, but all
his efforts to repair the calamity were unavailing against the decree of
fate. The ruin of Alor is dated to have commenced from that day.
They say that Seif-ul- Mulk with his beloved Budeh-ul-Jumal, when they
returned from the pilgrimage to the Kaabah, arrived and lived in the
country between Derah Ghazi Khan and Sitpur and died. Budeh-ul-
Jumal had two sons, Jah and Chatah ; until now her tomb with those of
her two sons, are places of pilgrimage.
Oe
168 Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram. [No. 159.
Account of the decline of the City of Bhunbur, generally known
as Brahmanabad.
They relate, that Dilu Rahi after the ruin of the city of Alor came to
Liegentl of the 1 the latter place to reside; he had a brother Choteh
cline of Brahmana- Qomrani: in his youth he had been blessed with
the true belief, so that leaving that city he had stu-
died and learnt the Koran, and performed the duties enjoined by his
religion sedulously. When he returned to the city, his relations pressed
upon him the acceptance of the governorship, but he would not accept
it: some one jokingly observed, ‘“‘ This Turk has been to the Kaabah,
and married the daughter of a certain Arab.” By chance in those his
younger days he became anxious to perform the Haj; and when he ar-
rived there, he one day saw a woman in a shop occupied in repeating
the Koran: he staid to listen. She asked him, why he staid ? He said,
to hear the Koran. “ If you will teach me to read, I will be your slave.”
The woman said, ‘ My instructor is the daughter of a certain person ; if
you will disguise yourself as a woman and come with me, I will take you
to her.” In short, in this way he was taken there, and became occupied in
reading and meditating on the Koran. It appears, that his instructress
was skilled in astrology : one day the woman came to her, and asked after
the fortune of Choteh in disguise ; she said he would be a governor or
chief. Choteh said, ‘‘ Since you know the fortune of others, can you tell
any thing of your own ?” The girl said, “‘ You are right ; I shall wed with
some one who is an inhabitant of Sindh.” They asked her, who it was ?
she said to Choteh, ‘* You are the man.” In short, concealment was at
an end ; the girl instructed him after this to go and change his garments,
and to demand her in marriage as she was destined for him; she then
communicated the case to her parents, and was shortly afterwards mar-
ried to Choteh. He after a time returned to his own country, and took
his wife, whose name was Fatimah, with him : when he arrived at the city
of Dilu Rahi, that tyrant had made a practice of seizing newly-married
women, and then releasing them. Choteh tried to dissuade him from
this, but he would not desist, until one day he heard the praises of
Fatimah. Whilst Choteh was from home, Dilu Rahi came to see her.
Choteh suspected his intentions ; coming quickly home, he took his wife
and left the city, crying out, “ This city through the wickedness of its
1845. ] a History of Sindh. 169
governor will be swallowed up this night; whoever wishes to escape
from destruction, has now the opportunity of doing so.” Some few be-
lieved him. On the first night the city escaped, in consequence of the
watchfulness of an old woman at her wheel; on the second, from the
working of an oil mill: at length, on the third night, the whole city with
its inhabitants was swallowed up and destroyed, and one minaret, as an
example and to record the fact, yet remains.*
Account of the men of Sumrah taking possession of Cutch.
This tribe inhabited the country of Cutch, and the ruler of that
province protected and encouraged them. After a
The Sumrahs take time this tribe said, “‘ We are strong and numerous,
possession of Cutch :
legend appertaining and we have lived safely under your shadow until we
thereto.
become troublesome : now give us a portion of waste
land, so that we may cultivate it and pay tribute.” The Rahi of Cutch
with kindness gave them broad lands, and taxed them at 500 carts
of grass from their crops. The tribe continued to pay the tax, and in
a short time became acquainted with the manners and customs of the
people and governors; they then determined amongst themselves to
acquire possession of the country. Now at the gate of the fort occupied
by the governor of Cutch, a brahmin and astrologer was placed, and he
permitted all to pass in after he had inquired their business, This tribe
had collected their 500 carts of grass, but in the grass of each cart they
placed two armed men, and one drove the cart into the city; they say
that when the carts came in, the brahmin said ‘there is the smell of
flesh in these carts ;” the door-keepers rejected his suspicions, and said,
‘« What can there be in grass?” But some of those present thrust their
spears into the grass. They say, that those in the carts wiped the
blood of their bodies from the points of the spears, so that they should
not be discovered. So the door-keepers accusing the brabmin of false-
hood, allowed the carts to pass in, and thus the men took possession of
the city, and overthrew the Rahi of Cutch, and became Chiefs of the
country ; until this time the descendants of the Sumrah are, in various
* Brahmanabad must have been situated in the Zar, or delta division of Sindh; its
site is not fixed.
170 Translation of the Tooful ut Kiram, [No. 159
ranks, the governors of Cutch.* In short, when in consequence of
Dilu Rahis’s tyranny, the river Mihran flowed past Sewistan, and those
. lands which are now fertile became so; then the land of the men of
Sumrah became unproductive, and from inflicting brands and the op-
Fall of the tribe Pressions of the before-mentioned tribe, complaints
of Sumrahs. ' were sent to the Sultan, Wilaw-ul-din at Delhi; he
sent his deputy and chief of his army Sular Khan, who coming upon the
men of Sumrah, they sent their families in care of the tribe of Charuns,
which tribe is highly respected by both parties, to Abrah Abranee Sum-
ah, the governor of Cutch, and prepared to oppose the forces of the
Sultan ; these latter came upon them like the storm on a vessel—there
was a great battle. The son of Sumrah, who was the Chief of all the
forces of that tribe, was killed; the rest could not hold out in the city
of Joor and fled to Cutch. The Sultan’s troops pursued their wives and
children to Cutch, and every night when they halted they threw a large
ditch round the camp to prevent a night attack; and these ditches
are still to be seen, and very deep. When they reached Cutch, Abrah
Sumah attacked the Sumrahs in conjunction with the Sultan’s troops.
In short, after the fall*of the tribe of Sumrah the tribe of Sumah became
The Sumahs ob- ‘tHe Possessors of those countries, and the city of
tain power. Mahamed, Joor was destroyed by the troops of the
Shah; and the city of Samwa was founded, and other new districts cul-
tivated. The country of the city of Joor, which is situated near the pur-
gunnah of Darah, being through ill fortune abandoned, they founded
another Jooreh as shall be mentioned.
The Dynasty of the Jams of Sumah.
The origin of this tribe is traced to Akrumeh Bin Hassan, Bin Abi-
List of the Jams Yéhul as has been inenhnaed = but according to what
oh anand. has been related, at the time of the arrival of Maham-
ior ee of theSu- 6g Bin Cassim, this tribe had embraced Islamism,
and the account of it is given by Meer Massum in the
“Chach Nameh.” Thus, the descendants of Akrumeh about the year
93 H. the whole of this tribe entered the Mahomedan faith, and collect-
ed together from distant places in this country, and Akrumeh at or neat
* The ruins of Goomtee in Cutch are in the traditions of that country, the scene of
the exploit of the Sumrahs.
1845.] a Aistory of Sindh. 171
that time was a governor, and he is connected with Sam Bin Oomur,
Bin Hassan, Bin Abi Luhab, but I do doubt if this is correct.
They are also said to be descended from Jam-shid ; hence their
_ title of “ Jam,” and this appears the most probable.
Reason of their were
taking the title of From some great man it is related, that they are de-
Jam, and their name ‘ ‘
Sumahor Samah. Scendants of Sam Bin Noh, and thus they are styled
Sumah. God knows.
1. Jam Oonur Bin Babineh. When they were released from oppres-
sion of the tribe of Sumrah, the men of Sumah, who
1. Jam Oonur.
before were cultivators of gardens, collected and styled him ‘“ Jam ;’
they constituted him chief and leader. It was thus in the year 752 H.,
and in a short time this Jam obtained complete power; Mulk Ruttun
overthrew the remainder of the Tarks, who were governors in Sewis-
tan, and after three years and six months, he died. They relate also,
that Kahah Bin Tamachi his vakeel, brought Ferroz and Alli Shah from
Bukkur to Birhampur, where they killed him; and after three days the
men of Oonur killed Mulk Ferroz.
2. Jam Junur Bin Babineh succeeded his brother; he crossed over
Jain Junut. from Tu/hati, and ravaged and pillaged the towns and —
villages ; he left Bukkur in charge of the Turks ; after this he became
powerful in Sindh, until Sultan Hullaw-ul-din sent his brother Alif Khan
to Multan and its dependencies ; Mulk Taj Kuffuri and Tatar Khan were
sent to Sindh to oppose Jam Junur ; previous to that Jam Junur had
died: his reign extended for 13 or 14 years. The Shah’s army took Buk-
kur, and looked towards Sehwan. After Jam Junur,
3. Jam Tamacht Bin Jam Oonur succeeded to the seat of government ;
3. Jam Tamachi. the Sultan’s army took him and his family prisoners
to Delhi. The tribe of Sumah went to Thurri, and for 15 years, 4. Jam
Babineh Bin Jam Oonur ruled over them, according to the ac-
count of Meer Massum. 5. Jam Kheir-ul-din, son of Tamachi, after
the death of his father (according to the order of the Shah) came
from Delhi to Sindh, and took possession. Sultan Mahamed Shah,
pursuing Taghi Ghullam as before mentioned, arrived in the vici-
nity of Tattah and died, and Sultan Ferroz succeeded him. He
went to Delhi; Jam Kheir-ul-din pursued him to the territories
of Sin; after some engagements returned, ruled his subjects justly,
and in peace. After Kheir-ul-din, his son, 6. Jam Babineh second, suc-
2c
|
a _——
172 Translation of the Toofut ul Kiram, [ No. 159.
ys
ceeded him; Sultan Ferroz Shah came over, but re-
6. Jam Babineh : ; :
the second. turned, and coming again took him prisoner. After a
time when he had experienced his services he conferred the government
of Sindh upon him, and he ruled for 15 years and died : he founded the
city of Samwi; some say it was founded by Payeh Bin Oomur, but this is
7. Jam Tamachi wrong. 7.Jam Tamachi second, his brother, succeed-
ie ed, and ruled peaceably for 13 years: then his son,
8. Jam Sullah-ul-din. 8, Jam Sullah-ul-din, who after settling his own coun-
tTy proceeded to Cutch, and returned victorious : after 11 years he died.
In the praise of Sheikh Himar Jumali (may God’s mercy be towards
him) it is written, that Jam Junur sent Jam Tamachi and his son Jam
Sullah-ul-din to Delhi, and they being released by the Sheikh above-
mentioned from Hind returned to Sindh, and overthrew Juanur,
taking possession of the country ; first the father, and then the son ruled:
but this differs with the first account of Meer Mussum. But God knows.
9. Jam Nizam-ul-din. In short, after Sullah-ul-din, Jam Nizam-ul-din
succeeded to the government, and released his uncles.
The Editors at first hesitated to publish this article, fearing that their
readers might consider it almost a reprint, or an amplification of the
former paper by the same author, ‘‘ On the early history of Scinde from
the ‘Chuch Namah,’ &c.,” as it in fact at first sight appears to be. But
Lieut. Postans himself in his introduction has, they conceive, assigned
the best reason why it should not, even at the risk of some repetition, re-
main unpublished, namely, that “the author of the TYoofut ul Kiram
has collected his materials from the best authorities.” And this is of
more importance than it at first sight appears to be, for it implies that
the author, who like our own early chroniclers was living in part of the
times of his own history, was like them also near enough to the epochs
embraced in it to exercise his discretion in the choice of the matters to
be chronicled ; and this doubtless founded on research amongst docu-
ments, and histories, and men now long passed away and numbered with
1845. ] a History of Sindh. 173
the dead. And the known customs of the Oriental writers of history, of
publishing their works only after reading them to circles of the learned,
would have furnished him with many facts, illustrations and corrections,
which oral tradition had brought down, and which the stores of written
knowledge then undoubtedly existing at all the courts of the Kalifat
probably contained.
Our readers will thus, we hope, agree with them in their judgment that,
as an historical reference, this translation is alike curious and useful, and
' they could not have given it otherwise than by printing it entire.
Eps.
Notices and Descriptions of various New or Little Known species of
Birds, by Ev. Buytu, Curator of the Asiatic Society's Museum.
Nisaétus alboniger, nobis. A smaller species than either of those
of India, measuring about twenty-one inches and a half in length,
wing thirteen inches, and tail nine and a half; tarse three inches:
occipital crest three inches and a quarter. Adult black above, with a
purple gloss, the large alars embrowned and distantly banded with black ;
tail black, with a broad light greyish- brown bar, occupying about its third
quarter from the base; the longer upper tail-coverts have each two
cross-bands of the same; lower parts pure white, with black mesial
line on throat, large intense black drops on the breast, and the belly,
vent, lower tail-coverts, tibial plumes, and short tarsal feathers, are
throughout closely barred black and white: beak black ; and toes wax-
yellow. A younger specimen has the drops fewer and smaller on
the breast, an admixture of rufous about the head, several unmoult-
ed brown feathers among the wing-coverts, and one unmoulted tail-
feather has three narrowish dark bars, with two more at base closer
and less defined. A remarkably handsome species, from Malacca.
Of the four Indian species of this genus, NV. alboniger approaches
nearest to WV. cirratus, (Ray, Shaw,) v. Falco cristatellus, Tem. ; and
I doubt whether either of these becomes wholly black with age, like
174 Notices and Descriptions of various new (No. 159.
the NV. caligatus, (? Raffles), v. F. niveus ( /), Tem., v. nipalensis,
Hodgson*, &c. a change, too, which would seem to obtain in the
Astur melanoleucos figured in Dr. A, Smith’s ‘ South African Zoology,’
and which converts the Archibuteo lagopus into the Falco Sancti
Johannis of the earlier systematists. A South African species of Nisaétus
exists in the “ Aquzla coronata,” also figured by Dr. A. Smith,
in which, if that naturalist be correct, the progressive change of
colouring is from light to dark; but his alleged adult is so like the
young of the Indian J. caligatus in its first dress, that I suspect the
changes will be found analogous in the two species. It may be fur-
ther remarked that the Aguila bellicosa, (Daud.) A. Smith, v. Falco
armiger, Shaw, pertains to avery distinct and long- winged form, exem-
plified also by the Indian Ag. Bonellii, v. Nisaétus grandis of Hodgson ;
and in this group, which may be distinguished by the name Eutolmaé-
tus, the adults only exhibit white under parts: whilst in another
aquiline form which may bear the name of Butaétus, exemplified by
the Falco pennatus, Gm., v. Spizaétus milvoides of Jerdon, the
reverse change of colouring obtains, as in the ordinary Nisaét. In-
deed, a further approximation to the latter group is shewn by an
occasional distinct, though slight, enlargement and elongation of
the central occipital feathers, in fine adult examples of Butaétus pen-
natus.
With respect to Misaétus cirratus, which is evidently the “Crested
Indian Falcon” of Willoughby, T described two specimens in a note to
Vol. XII. p. 306; and those I must now consider to be young or
imperfectly mature: for the Society has since received a much finer
adult from Capt. Robt. Shortrede, shot at Midnapore, having a pend-
ent occipital crest consisting of twelve elongated feathers, the four
longest measuring five inches and a half. In other respects, this
species is not very strongly characterized apart from JV. caligatus
(apud nos,) but has the belly, flanks, and upper tail-coverts, much
darker than usual in the corresponding state of plumage of that
species, the head also being darker, and the throat more streaky ;
the dorsal feathers, however, are decidedly of a different form, being
* Mr, Hodgson’s crested variety of his N. nipalensis refers to N, cirratus, since
called by him N, pallidus.—E. Be
1845.) or little known species of Birds. 175
much longer and narrower, instead of broad and rounded, a differ-
ence which is strongly marked on the lower interscapularies. Size
the same. The splendid occipital crest is deep black, each feather
tipped with white: upper parts empurpled hair-brown, the inter-
scapularies, scapularies and tertiaries, more or less black, and the
secondaries having distant dark bands; fore-neck and _ breast
pure white, with a broad dark mesial streak to each feather; the
belly, vent, flanks, and lower tail-coverts, dark brown ; and thighs
the same, a little freckled with whitish: tarsal feathers whitish,
mottled with brown: head and neck fulvescent-brown, with mesial
dark streaks; the usual three dark lines on the throat somewhat
ill defined : tail as in NV. caligatus, but less dashed with ashy.
This species seems to be peculiar to the hill districts of India, inha-
biting alike the sub-Himalayan region, and the hilly parts of Central
and Southern India. Mr. Elliot describes it to “sit on the tops of the
highest trees, on the watch for hares, pea-fowl, and jungle-fowl, on which
it swoops from its elevated perch. Solitary. Shot in the Rampoor
jungle, inland from Nellore, at the foot of the Eastern Ghats.” Mr.
Jerdon and Lord Arthur Hay have since procured specimens from the
same locality. The crest-feathers of this bird. are not only longer and
more copious than in either of the other species, but are of a more lax
texture, so that when elevated they curve and droop backward, instead
of remaining up straight. NV. caligatus alone has invariably but a mere
indication of this occipital crest, which is well developed in all the rest.
The other Indian species of Nisaétus are N. pulcher, J. A. S. xii, 305 ;
and JV. Kieneriz, (de Sparre), v. Spizaétus albogularis, J. A. S. xi, 456.*
The following description was taken from what I conceive to have
been an adult male of the former, in fully mature plumage. Length of
wing seventeen inches and a half, and of tail thirteen inches. Old
crest-feather measuring four inches and three-quarters, and new ones
growing, which would apparently have been considerably longer.
Plumage very Hawk-like: upper parts hair-brown, the exposed ter-
minal portion of the feathers darker and purple-glossed ; wing-coverts
banded with white; throat with the usual three sérz@, and the under
parts light brown, transversely rayed with white, the colour darkening
towards the white, and upon the tibial plumes. Received from Cherra-
* The latter has since been received from Darjeeling.
176 Notices and Descriptions of various new (No. 159.
Poonjee ; and forwarded by the late lamented Dr. Griffith to the Muse-
um of the Honorable Company.
Of the Spizdetus rufitinctus, McClelland and Horsfield, Proe.
Zool. Soc. 1839, p. 153, Mr. Strickland informs me, that ‘“ Dr.
Horsfield now classes this as a Limnaétus, and it seems only to differ
in having the lower half of the tarsus bare and scutate. The beak has
a lateral undulation. Wing ten inches and a quarter, and tail eight
inches. Fourth and fifth quills equal and longest. The breast is
barred brown and white, the bars and their intervals being each about
a quarter of an inch wide, and on the thighs about an eighth of an
inch wide. The feathers of the breast have two brown bars on each.
Tail with four light and four darker brown bars.” As this is one of
the very few Indian Raptores still wanting to the Society’s museum, I
shall also quote the original notice of it, as follows :—‘* Upper part of
the body dark brown, with slight undulations of a deeper tint; breast
and throat longitudinally striped with brown: belly and under surface
of the wings white, transversely barred with brown : tarse feathered
to the lower third, each feather marked with fine transverse bars;
the rest shielded: the beak short, much hooked, and sharp: claws and
toes strong and formidable.
‘It inhabits the banks of the Boorampooter and other rivers in
Assam, where it conceals itself in bushes and grass, along the verge of
the water, seizing such fishes as approach the surface within its reach.” —
This is also said to be the habit of the large naked-legged Owls which
constitute the genus Ketupa.
Another species wanting to the Society’s museum, and also distin-
guished by partially feathered tarse, may be described as
Buteo aquilinus, Hodgson. Length (of apparently a young female)
about twenty-six inches, of which the tail measures eleven and a half ;
wing eighteen inches and a quarter; beak to forehead (in a straight
line,) one and a half, and two inches and one-eighth to gape; tarse
three and one-eighth, and plumed anteriorly for an inch and three-
quarters. General colour hair-brown, the feathers edged with dull
rufescent-brown, and their white bases shewing conspicuously about
the nape ; ear-coverts and sides of the head white, more or less dark-
shafted ; throat white, streaked with brown, the fore-neck coloured
like the back, and the breast white for the greater portion of each
1845. ] or little known species of birds. 177
feather; the remaining terminal portion mingled pale and dark brown,
being also dark-shafted; abdominal region and flanks, with the tibial
plumes, dark brown, slightly rufous-edged towards the breast, and the
axillaries more vividly rufescent; fore part of the under surface of
the wing dusky-brown, the primaries freckled white beneath, except
beyond their emargination where they become blackish; tail mottled
with numerous dark bars, alternate on the two shafts of each feather,
upon an albescent ground. Bill dark, as is apparently the cere: the
toes appear to have been wax-yellow.
This bird might be mistaken, on a cursory view, for a variety of B.
canescens, J. A. S. xii, 308, were it not for its half-feathered tarsi; and
the beak also is larger and more aquiline, so that the name is felici-
tously bestowed. It is by no means a common species in Nepal, as I
learned from Mr. Hodgson’s people, and as might be inferred from the
circumstance of Mr. Hodgson requiring the only specimen he had sent,
to take with him to England. Not improbably it may prove identical
with the Falco asiaticus of Latham, described as nearly similar to the
European Buzzard in the colour of its body and wings, the under parts
white with stripes on the breast, tail silver-grey, the outer feather
marked by obscure bars; bill bluish-black, and legs yellow and half
feathered. Length twenty-two inches. Inhabits China.” From the
circumstance of its partially feathered tarse, it might be presumed
that the present species would fall under the division Archibuteo
of Brehm, but the general character of the bird is not that of the
‘ Rough-legged Buzzard’ of Northern regions.
B. pygmeus, nobis. This is the smallest species of true Buzzard
with which I am acquainted. Length eighteen inches, or perhaps
rather more; of wing thirteen inches, and tail eight inches: bill to
forehead (including cere) fifteen-sixteenths of an inch in a straight
line, and an inch and a quarter from point of upper mandible to
gape : tarse two inches, and feathered for nearly its upper third. Colour
of the beak blackish, the cere and base of both mandibles appearing
to have been yellow: legs and toes also yellowish, and talons black.
General hue of the upper parts uniform hair-brown, the scapularies
and coverts slightly tipped with rufous-white: nape white, tipped with
brown, and slightly edged laterally with rufous, which colour increases
on the sides of the neck and tinges the wings, the greater feathers
178 Notices and Descriptions of various new {[ No. 159.
of which have their outer webs uniform brown, and the inner rufescent
near the shaft and white towards the margin, being barred with the
same brown as that colouring the outer web; the coverts are slightly
edged and more largely tipped with dull rufous: the longer upper
tail-coverts are tipped with whitish; and the tail is nearly of the
same brown with the back, but rather paler and more greyish, its
middle feathers having four broad dusky bars, the last subterminal,
and a rudiment of a fifth which becomes gradually more obscure
to the outermost: over and beyond the eye is a conspicuous whit-
ish streak: the under parts are rufescent-whitish, palest on the
throat and lower tail-coverts, which are without markings, except-
ing a slight dusky mesial line along the throat; the breast has
a broad mesial dusky streak to each feather, assuming on the belly and
flanks more or less the appearance of transverse bands, which are unit-
ed along the shafts of the feathers leaving oval intervals of white, and
the feathers being externally margined with pale fulvous : tibial plumes
very pale buff, or with rufous central markings; and fore part of the
under surface of the wings similarly coloured, the quills albescent un-
derneath and obscurely barred, but dusky towards their tips. Inhabits
the Tenasserim provinces, where procured by the late Dr. Helfer.
The other Indian species of true Buzzard are—JB. canescens, odgson,
upon the Himalaya, and spreading generally over the Upper Provinces
—B. longipes, Jerdon, found chiefly to the west, but also in southern
India—and B. rufiventer, Jerdon, peculiar (so far as known) to the
south. Mr. G. R. Gray, in his catalogue of the Raptores in the Bri-
tish Museum, evidently mistakes B. canescens for B. longipes. From
the description in the Dict. Class., I suspect that the latter species is
the Circus pectoralis, Vieillot, (placed, however, among the ‘ Buses,’
or Buzzards, not among the ‘ Busards,’ or Harriers,) in which case it
must rank as Buteo pectoralis ; but Mr. Jerdon, judging from another
description of the latter, is of opinion that it cannot be identified with
either of his species.
The Circus teesa, Franklin, v. Astur hyder, Sykes, assigned to Buteo
by Gray and others, must now be referred to Poliornis of Kaup; Bu-
tastur, Hodgson, J. A. S. xii, 311, sinking to the rank of a synonym.
Hematornis, Vigors (nec Swainson); Spilornis, G. R. Gray. The
distinctive characters of the species referred to this genus are at pre-
1845. | or little known species of Birds. 179
sent much in need of determination. Firstly, there is the Bacha of
Levaillant, or Falco bacha, Lath., which is described to be of the size
of the Common Buzzard of Europe; female larger: this does not oc-
cur near the Cape, but was obtained far inland towards the tropic.
Next, Falco bido, Horsfield, from Java, subsequently considered as
identical with the African species by Dr. Horsfield: Mr. Vigors,
however, in Proc. Zool. Soc. 1831, p. 170, “ expressed his doubts
whether the Falco bacha, Lath., and F’. bido, Horsfield, were the same
species, although they were generally supposed to be identical. He
had not the opportunity of examining a sufficient number of African
specimens to determine the point.” Three species, however, were dis-
tinguished by Mr. Vigors on that occasion, that of India being des-
cribed by the name Hem. undulatus : but this Indian bird had pre-
viously been designated Falco cheela by Latham and Gmelin, and the
young was termed F’. albidus by Cuvier ; it has also since been named
Circaétus nipalensis by Mr. Hodgson, and the young Buteo melanotis
by Mr. Jerdon*. The distinctions of Mr. Vigors’s three species ‘‘ con-
sist chiefly in size, the Hem. holospilus (from the Philippines) being
one-third smaller than Hl. bacha; while H. undulatus considerably
exceeds the latter. The first is spotted all over the body, the second
only on the abdomen ; while the third is marked by spots on the wing-
coverts, and by ocedlz bearing an undulated appearance on the abdo-
men, the breast also being crossed by ‘undulating fascia.” These
last are chiefly seen in the females.
In Mr. G. R. Gray’s catalogue of the specimens of Raptorial birds
in the British Museum, specimens from India and Java are referred
to Spilornis bacha, and others from India to Sp. undulata. 1
doubt, however, altogether the existence of more than one species in
India, of which I presume that the males have been referred by Mr.
Gray to H. bacha, and the females to H. undulatus ; this latter name
must indeed be superseded by cheela of Latham. But a specimen
from Malacca agrees with the description I have lately received of Dr.
Horsfield’s Javanese gird, and differs from every one of a very exten-
sive series of the Indian bird now before me—Istly, in its inferior
* Latham’s ‘‘ Noble Eagle’’ would seem to be merely a fulvescent specimen of
the young of this bird, such as are by no means uncommon,
2D
180 Notices and Descriptions of various new [No. 159.
size, the wing measuring but fourteen inches, and tail nine and a half* ;
2ndly, in the absence of the distinct white spots on the small wing-
coverts, the extreme bend of the wing only being thus marked, and slight
traces of them alone shewing elsewhere ; and 3rdly, there is some
difference in the barring of the primaries underneath, the third prima-
ry, for instance, having its subterminal pale band much narrower and
ill defined, instead of this being broad and well defined. I should
like, however, to examine several Malayan specimens before coming to
a final decision ; although my impression certainly is that the Indian
and Malayan species are distinct, and I shall provisionally regard them
as such, terming the former H. cheela, (Lath. ), and the latter H. bido (v.
bacha?) At all events, I feel confident of their being only one species
in India, and it is probable that there is one only in Western Malasia,
but a third in the Philippines and China.
Urrua (Hodgson, founded on Otus bengalensis, Franklin, Gould,)
umbrata, nobis, Length two feet or nearly. so, of closed wing sixteen
inches, and tail nine inches ; bill from point to gape nearly two inches,
and tarse scarcely more. General cast of colour deep freckled um-
bre brown, unrelieved by fulvous; the outer scapularies having the
usual dull white oval spots on their exterior webs: wings dashed with
cinereous: tail crossed with three dark bands, and an indistinct
fourth at base: and the under parts pale, with a narrow dark brown
mesial streak on each feather; bill light yellow; and talons pale.
Aigrettes blackish-brown. The feathers of the crown and nape are
dingy grey at base, with their surface portion freckled, and a narrow
mesial dusky line on each: those of the back and the scapularies have
this central dark streak much broader. This fine Owl is common
in Lower Bengal, was forwarded from Nepal by Mr. Hodgson, and
has been obtained by Mr. Jerdon in the Indian Peninsula. It is
clearly that alluded to by Latham in his description of U. (?) coro-
manda, as represented in a drawing twenty inches long ; and it is
the Urrua coromanda apud Hodgson, as noticed by him in J. A. S. ©
vi. 373, having been forwarded by him under this name to the
Society’s museum.
* In the India-house specimen, from Java, Mr. Strickland informs me that the
wing measures fifteen inches and three-quarters, and the tail ten inches ; which size
corresponds with that of the very smallest Indian specimens.
1845. ] or little known species of Birds. 181
“ Le petit Hibou de la céte de Coromandel,” as described by Son-
nerat, and upon which is founded Strix coromanda, Lath., and Str.
coromandelica, Forster, does not appear to have been since verified ;
and the published drawing of an Owl, referred to this, in Hardwicke’s
‘ Illustrations of Indian Zoology,’ represents a species unknown both
to Mr. Jerdon and myself. It is not improbably a large Scops : this
being a genus particularly rich in Indian and Malayan species, some of
which are as yet not quite satisfactorily understood. Mr. Jerdon espe-
cially has made great efforts to elucidate them ; and the following is
about our present state of information respecting the group.
1. Sc. rufescens, (Horsfield), Lin. Tr. xiii. 140. This species has
been determined with the assistance of Hugh E. Strickland, Esq., who
has kindly examined the original specimens of the birds described
in Dr, Horsfield’s Javanese list, and has favored me with more minute
notices of some of them, and identifications of others with species pre-
viously described. Elsewise, as Dr. Horsfield had given the entire
length as eight inches only, I had some hesitation in agreeing with Mr,
Jerdon in referring a Malacca specimen in the collection of Lord
Arthur Hay, to the present species ; but the difficulty is now removed
by my friend Mr. Strickland, and I have the pleasure of giving the fol-
lowing description from Lord A. Hay’s specimen. Length about
eleven inches, of which the tail measures four inches and three-quar-
ters ; wing six and three-quarters ; tarse an inch and a quarter. General
colour ferruginous-brown, much paler below ; the forehead, lower part
of disk and aigrettes in part, conspicuously white, with a few minute
dark speckles: upper parts marked with whitish spots along the
shaft of each feather ; the lower variegated with dusky and whitish
in cross-stri¢; primaries and tail with numerous broad dusky bars,
amounting to about twelve in number on the latter: tarsal feathers
not continued over the joint at the base of the toes. A strongly
marked species, apparently peculiar to the Malay countries.
The next in point of size is
2. Sc. lettia, Hodgson, As. Res. xix, 176: probably Sec. lempii
apud Horsfield, from Assam, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1839, p. 155. This
is the largest of three closely allied species, the distinctions of which
were first observed by Mr. Jerdon. Its wing measures from six inches
to six and a half, apparently according to sex; and the young have a
182 Notices and Descriptions of various new [No. 159.
more ferruginous shade of general colouring than the adults. In a
living specimen which I saw, the most remarkable feature (for an Owl
of this genus) was its very dark irides, appearing black : and Mr. Hodg-.
son, in his description of the species, remarks, “Iris variable, yellow
in the young, brown in the old birds”. It inhabits the sub-Himalayan
ranges, extending to those of Sylhet and Arracan, and doubtless to
all those of Assam.
3. Sc. lettioides, Jerdon, MS. Differs from’ the last in its constant-
ly smaller size, and more ashy colouring ; the short tarsal plumes
appear to be always white, with at most obscure traces of mottling.
From the next it also differs in its predominant ashy tinge. Length
of wing five inches and a quarter to five and three-quarters. Peculiar
to the Coromandel coast, and it would seem there generally common.
4. Sc. lempiji, (Horsfield) : Strix noctula, Reinwardt ; Scops java-
nicus, Lesson. Specimens which (from Mr. Strickland’s description of
Dr. Horsfield’s Javanese bird,) I refer to this, from the vicinity of the
Straits, are often deeply imbued with ferruginous-brown throughout :
some of these being evidently in nestling dress, from the flimsy texture
of the feathers ; and the others are perhaps in second plumage. Others,
again, have merely a weak shade of ferruginous-brown like the young of
Sc. lettia ; and the mottling of the upper parts is coarser and more
blotched. The latter are perhaps distinct ; for while the former seem to
be peculiar to the Malay countries, these occur not only in Malasia, but
along the Malabar range, and in China. The Society possess a spe-
cimen from Macao. Future observation must determine whether the
ferruginous-brown birds are 30 spread ; and specimens should be sought
for that might exhibit a transitional moult.
5. Sc. sunia, Hodgson, As. Res. xix. 174. This beautiful species
appears to be generally diffused over the country, though, it would
seem, rather sparingly. Mr. Jerdon has obtained specimens near Nel-
lore, and I have twice met with it in Lower Bengal. A very handsome
adult female, shot near Calcutta, has the whole upper parts uniform
bright chesnut-ferruginous, with inconspicuous black shafts to the
dorsal plumage, tending to become obsolete, and more distinct black
shafts to the frontal feathers, thé aigrettes, and the fore-part of
the wings; exterior line of scapularies albescent, with conspicuous
black tips; and there are smaller black tips to the plumelets which
1845. ] or littte known species of Birds. 183
compose the disk : under parts deeply tinged with the hue of the
back, but an admixture of pure white on the belly and under tail-co-
verts ; and the breast and sides of the belly have some tolerably broad
black central streaks to the feathers, those of the latter being also va-
riegated with transverse pencillings : the unspread tail has its bands ob-
solete; and the bars on the outer webs of the primaries are indistinct.
A male and female, apparently in second plumage, which I procured
alive, have the ferruginous colour of the upper-parts somewhat deeper,
though less bright, with the black centres to the feathers much more
developed, and these’ are copiously variegated with cross-pencillings
everywhere but on the forehead, crown, and the aigrettes ; the under
parts have also a much greater admixture of white, and the black
streaks and pencillings are considerably more developed ; primaries
and tail conspicuously banded. The colouring of the nestling plumage
would, however, seem to approximate more to that of the adult (and this,
accordingly, may be likewise the case in Se. dempzjz): it is distinguished
by the usual weak and unsubstantial texture of the clothing feathers,
and by the narrower and more pointed form of the wing-primaries.
6. S. pennata, Hodgson, mentioned in J. A. S. vi, 369, and re-
cognised in Mr. G. R. Gray’s list as distinct from the European
Se. zorca, to which it is nearly allied *: Strix bakkamoéna, (?) Pen.,
and indica (?), Gmelin, founded on a rude drawing of a Cingalese speci-
men, no doubt inaccurate as regards the “scarlet” colour of the irides,
the exceedingly small size given as that of nature (about four inches
long), and also the excessively contrasted barring of the primaries ;
likewise in the lower portion of the tarsi being represented as bare.
The present species is smaller than any of the foregoing, its wing
measuring from four inches and five-eighths to five and a quarter
long; and it so nearly resembles Sc. sunia in its general characters,
that I formerly suspected it would prove but a grey variety of that
bird: its under-parts are marked very like those of Sc. sunia, and
there is a certain admixture of ferruginous especially about the breast,
and a decided tinge of the same chiefly upon the large alars and
their coverts, and seen elsewhere more or less upon the upper parts,
* A specimen of Sc. zorca is there noted from China ; and this species has long been
stated to occur in Northern Asia; atleast the Strix pulchella, Lin., of Russia and
Siberia, has been currently identified with it.
184 Notices and Descriptions of various new [No. 159.
as particularly about the aigrettes, that is very apt to induce a sus-
picion of its identity with Sc. swnia. From the other grey species,
it is generally distinguished by the delicacy of its pencillings, and by
those of the crown scarcely, if at all, differing from the markings of the
back, instead of blending into a large black mass: but without a se-
ries of the Se. zorca for comparison, it is quite useless to attempt
giving a satisfactory minute description of this Indian bird, which is
an inhabitant alike of the Himalaya and Southern India. A Malacca
specimen in Lord A. Hay’s collection also approaches very nearly both
to this little Indian Scops and to Se. zorca, of which latter I had a
specimen on loan when I took the following brief description of his
lordship’s bird: ‘‘ Darker-coloured and more uniformly pencilled (i. e.
less variegated) above, than either Sc. zorca or Sc. pennata; and the
tail marked with four or five distantly placed, and well defined, nar-
rowish chesnut bands. Probably a distinct species.” In the speci-
mens of Se. pennata before me, the tail-markings are comparatively
ill defined, but consist of pale chesnut bands, margined with dusky,
and the intervening spaces dotted with the same.
A Sc. gymnopodus, from India, is mentioned in Mr. Gray’s catalo-
gue, but which does not appear to have been yet described: and the
same gentleman gives two new species from the Philippine Islands, Se.
philippinensis and Sc. megalotis.
The genus Athene is scarcely less developed in this part of the
world. In India, we have
1, Ath. cuculoides, (Vigors). Common in the Himalaya, in the
hill ranges of Assam, Sylhet, Arracan, and the Tenasserim provinces,
and extending eastward to Chusan: but unknown in the ranges of
peninsular India.
2. Ath. Brodie, (Burton): Noctua tubiger, Hodgson ; Strix passe-
rina (? ), mentioned in Royle’s list. Himalaya.
3. Ath. radiatus, (Tickell): Ath. erythropterus, Gould ; Noctua per-
lineata, Hodgson ; N. cuculoides apud Jerdon, Catal. Himalaya, and
the ranges of Central India.
4. Ath. castanopterus, (? Horsfield) : Strix spadicea, (? Reianaiiley
Malabar range, and the upland districts of Ceylon. This species differs
from the last in its more rufous general colouring, especially on the
whole wing, the basal portion of the primaries (except the three first)
1845. or little known species of Birds. 185
being spotless deep rufous. A Cingalese example, procured by
H. R. H. Prince Waldemar of Prussia, had the entire back and wings
deep rufous-bay; while the pale bars on the head were only a little
more rufescent than in Ath. radiatus. Ath. castanopterus, from India
as well as Java, is mentioned in Mr. Gray’s list of British Museum Rap-
tores ; and it is also stated to occur in the Tenasserim Provinces.
5. Ath. Sonnerati, (Tem.) Non. vidi*.
6. Ath. brama, (Tem.): Noctua indica, Franklin; N. tarayensis,
Hodgson; Strix persica, (?), Nouv. Dict. d’ Hist. Nat , vii., 26.¢ Very
common in Lower Bengal, and in India generally.
A Noctua auribarbis is mentioned by Mr. Hodgson, J. A. S. vi.,
369; and an Ath. badia, Hodgson, in Mr. G. R. Gray’s list of the
Raptorial birds in the British Museum. These remain to be de-
scribed.
Syrnium nivicolum, Hodgson, ”. s. This so nearly resembles
certain non-rufous specimens which I have seen of the European S.
alueo, that I even suspected the identity of the Himalayan and the
British birds, until a second specimen (presented to the Society by
Mr. Jerdon) repeating the characters of the one which Mr. Hodgson
took with him to England, inclines me now to the opinion that they
are distinct; the present being also decidedly a larger bird. The
length of Mr. Hodgson’s specimen was about seventeen inches, of wing
eleven and a half, and tail seven and a quarter ; tarse two inches: and
I took the following brief description of it. ‘‘ Colour of the upper
parts mingled brown and blackish; rather minutely mottled, produc-
ing a dark brown ensemble ; head and neck tawny or fulvous-brown,
with dark mottling at tips of feathers; a streak above each eye,
ascending from the facial disk, and the mesial part of the crown, be-
tween these streaks, blackish. Under parts bright tawney-brown,
mingled with dark brown and whitish : feathered tarsi and toes fulves-
* « Inhabits India. Length eleven inches; all the upper-parts of the body are
reddish-brown, the head being adorned with small white spots, and the wing-coverts
with large spots of the same: the quills and tail-feathers are like the back; the space
round the eyes is reddish-white, as well as the face and throat: all the under-parts
are white, transversely but distantly barred with brown: the down on the tarsi and
toes is red: the beak and claws are yellow.’’—Stephens.
¢ Ath. brama is common about the foot of the mountains near the town of Erzeroume
Proc. Zool. Soc, 1839, p. 119.
186 Notices and Descriptions of various nen [ No, 159.
cent, with deeper tawney spots; alars and tail banded, the latter with
mottled light brown upon a dark ground.” The second specimen (also
Himalayan) has the wing twelve inches and a quarter long, and the
tail seven and a half. It agrees generally with the foregoing descrip-
tion, but has less of the fulvous tinge, and is, I think, more obviously
distinct from S. aluco. The minute mottling of the plumage is diffi-
cult to express in words: but the feathers of the under parts may be
described as whitish, partially tinged with fulvescent, and having a
dusky central streak, broader towards the tip of the feather, and three
or four narrower transverse streaks of the same; and the like may
be described as the basis of the markings of those above, modified so
that the pale portion appears, more or less, as a series of pale spots on
the two webs of each feather ;—the well developed transverse markings
of the feathers constituting a good distinction of this bird from the Eu-
ropean S. aluco, independently of its deficiency of rufous colouring. The
form is perfectly true to the generic type of S. aluco.
Of the species of Strzz, as now limited, three pertain to the Fauna
Indica.
1, Str. javanica, Gu., de Wurmb, apud Latham: Sér. candida,
Tickell, J. A. S. 11. 572; Str. longimembris, Jerdon. EPuchanan fi-
gured it; but Latham is wrong in stating that the claw of its middle
toe is not serrated ; and it has also four well defined blackish bars on
the tail. Found chiefly in peninsular India. Whether it be truly de
Wurmb’s Javanese species, I have no immediate means of ascer-
taining™.
2. Str. flammea, Lin. : Str. javanica, apud Horsfield (? ), Sykes, and
Jerdon. Very common, and differing in no respect from the British
bird.
3. Str. badia, Horsfield. Mr. Hodgson obtained a single mutilated
specimen of this bird in Nepal; and the Society has been favored with
a very fine one by Captain Abbott, shot in the island of Ramree,
Arracan. About Malacca and Singapore, it would seem to be not un-
common.
* *¢ Horsfield’s Strix javanica,’’ writes Mr. Strickland, ‘* has the tarsi five-eighths
of an inch longer than in a British Str. Hammea. It comes near longimembris,
Jerdon, but is mottled grey above, instead of blotched with brown.’? Dr. A. Smith
has figured a species from South Africa, allied to true javanica (? v longimembris),
by the name M, capensis.
1845. ] or little known species of Birds. 187
We will now leave the Raptores, and commence the varied tribes of
Perchers with a new Hornbill :
Buceros carinatus, nobis. Length about thirty-two inches, of
wing thirteen and a quarter, and tail a foot, its outermost feathers
an inch shorter than the middle ones: bill to eye five inches, the
casque little elevated, at most about three-quarters of an inch, and the
depth of bill and casque together two inches and a quarter. Form of
the casque truly carinate, like the keel of a boat, rising with a curve
from the forehead, extending for two-thirds of the length of the upper
mandible, and its anterior portion sloped forward: a lateral ridge ex-
terior to the nostrils causes these to open upwards. In one specimen
before me, (which I suspect is an old female,) the bill and casque are
wholly black ; but in another, with the latter somewhat less develop-
ed, (probably an adolescent male,) the bill is yellowish-white, except
the basal two-thirds of the lower mandible, and the extreme base of
the upper, continued along the tomiz for half its length, and along
the upper portion of the casque to near its extremity. In the former
specimen, the medial portion of the belly, the vent, and the lower tail-
coverts, are dark brownish-albescent ; while in the latter this is con-
fined to the vent and lower tail-coverts: but there is no other differ-
ence of plumage, The throat is naked, as likewise a large space sur-
rounding the eyes. Occiput adorned with a large full crest of length-
ened feathers, rounded at the tips, and measuring two inches and
three-quarters long, or rather less in the black-billed specimen (or old
.female?). General colour black, with green and purple glosses, the
edges of the secondaries and tertiaries, and of the lengthened occipi-
tal feathers (more or less), whitish~brown—much as in B. gingalen-
sis, to which the present species is certainly allied: terminal four and
a half to fiveinches of the tail deep black, the rest brownish-ashy,
darkest at base, and paling to its junction with the black. In both
specimens the edges of the mandibles retain their original serration,
more or less perfectly, which is seldom seen in adult Hornbills. Pro-
cured at Malacca by the Rev. F. W. Lindstedt, to whom the Society
is indebted for a large and valuable collection of the mammalia and
birds of that particularly rich, but little explored, locality.
The B. comatus, Raffles, Lin. Tr. xiii, 339, would seem to be allied
to the above in form of bill, but is evidently distinct. B. malayanus,
Raffles, ibid. p. 292, would seem to approximate the adolescent B.
25
188 Notices and Descriptions of various new LNo. 159.
bicolor, Eyton, except that it has “ a white stripe extending from be-
hind each eye to the back of the neck, and so encircling the head.”
B. bicolor is probably the B. malabaricus apud Raffles, and B. al-
birostris apud Horsfield; and with reference to my description of
this species in J. A. S. xii, 996, I may mention that the casque does
project forward, and very prominently, in old specimens. Of the other
species noticed on the same occasion, 1 have been since informed that
B. cristatus, Vieillot (p. 988,) has been renamed B. buccinator by Mr.
Gray; &. pucoran (p. 990, as Swainson misled me in spelling it,)
should have been written B. pusaran, it being rightly identified with
~the_bird of Raffles; B. malabaricus (p. 993,) must rank as B. pica,
Scopoli; and B. ginginianus (p. 996,) as B. birestris, Scopoli, the
~
—
.)
—_—
Names given by this author holding priority over those of Latham and
- Gmelin. Lastly, with respect to Raffles’s assertion that the females of
B. rhinoceros are rather smaller, and have the horn more recurved
_ — than in the male, it shews that that respected observer was unacquaint-
‘ed with the perfectly matured male, which not only is larger than
the female, but has the tip of its casque reflected so as to point down.
ward, whereas in the female (so far as I have observed) it rarely, if
ever, even points backward: the sexes in this species being readily
distinguishable, like those of B. cavatus, B. pica, and other allied
species, by the posterior surface of the horn, above the forehead, being
black in the male, and concolorous with the rest in the female ; besides
which the male Rhinoceros Hornbill has a black line dividing the bill
and casque, and continued forward and upward upon the latter, paral-
lel with its anterior margin. It may be remarked further, of the Rhino-
ceros Hornbill, that this species seems to wear away the cutting edges
of its mandibles more than any other; so that when the tips meet, a
wide hollow occurs along the medial portion of its bill.
Genus Jrrisor, Lesson. In the ‘ Annals and Magazine of Natural
History’ for 1843, pp. 238 e¢ seg., is inserted a paper read by Mr.
Strickland to the Zoological Section of the British Association Meet-
ing of that year, wherein is argued the near affinity of this well mark-
ed genus for the Hoopoes ( Upupa/, in opposition to the opinion of
the Baron De la Fresnaye and others, who have contended that these
two genera are, at most, but very distantly allied: and though Mr.
Strickland has hazarded no decided opinion respecting the immediate
affinities of the combined group formed of Jrrisor and Upupa,
1845.] or little known species of Birds. 189
which group he styles Upupide, and regards its two generic sections
to be of the value of subfamilies, adding the remark, that the ques-
tion where the Upupide should be placed cannot, as he thinks,
“be answered satisfactorily till more facts are collected respecting
the food, habits, and anatomy of this group and of others with which
it may be compared,” I may here notice that while I quite agree
with Mr. Strickland in approximating the two genera under con-
sideration, I still retain my conviction expressed several years ago (vide
Mag. Nat. Hist., n. s., 1838, p. 593), and formed upon anatomi-
cal data, that the Hoopoes are nearly related to the Hornbills ;
and the hiatus between these two allied, but distinct, groups is con-
siderably lessened by the interposition of Jrrisor, which genus I
suspect is subordinate to Bucerotide rather than to Upupide, and
as a subfamily of the former, I conceive it to be most naturally
placed. In the configuration of the sternal apparatus, the chief
differences occur in the anatomy of the Hornbills and the Hoopoes,
the alimentary organs presenting a very close similitude; and in the
form of the sternum and its appurtenances, I will venture to hazard
the conjecture that proof will be afforded of the near affinity of Zrrisor
for Buceros. As in both Buceros and Upupa, I observe that Jrrisor
has only ten tail-feathers, whereas the allied genera of Halcyonide,
&c. have twelve; and perhaps we should not be wrong in arrang-
ing both Jrrisorine and Upupine as subfamilies of Bucerotide.
Hoopoes (Upupa, Lin.) There are three distinct, although closely
allied, species of this genus, as follow:
1. U. epops, Lin. The common European Hoopoe, which is nu-
merous in Bengal, and in Upper India generally, but of rare occur-
rence in the south of India. Mr. Jerdon has obtained it in the Neil-
gherries. Length of its wing six inches.
2. U. senegalensis (? ), Swainson, ‘ Birds of W. Africa,’ ii, 114,
Nat. Libr.: U. minor, apud Jerdon. This quite agrees with Mr.
Swainson’s description of the Senegal Hoopoe, except that some spe-
cimens have a trace of whitish on the hinder crest-feathers, where
indeed it chiefly appears in U. epops. The wing varies from four
inches and three-quarters to five and three-eighths in length; but the
bill is as much elongated as in the last. Common in most, if not all,
parts of the peninsula of India.
3. U. minor, Shaw. Distinguished from both the preceding by
having the primaries plain black, without the broad white band con-
190 Notices and Descriptions of various new (No. 159.
stant in the two others; and also by having the white caudal bar
placed much nearer the base of the tail. The colour, too, especi-
ally of the crest, is more rufous, and there is no intervening white or
whitish between the rufous portion of the crest-feathers and their
black tips. Length of the wing five inches and a quarter. It has
only been met with in South Africa.
Specimens of each are in the Society’s Museum.
Alcedo grandis, nobis, n. s. Resembles A. ispida and A. benga-
lensis, but is distinguished by its much larger size. Length of wing
three inches and three-quarters, of tail two inches, and of bill to fore-
head two inches and one-eighth. From Darjeeling. It may be re-
marked that several specimens of A. bengalensis occurred in the same
collection with A. grandis, which I mention with a view to refute the
opinion entertained by some theorists, that the disparity of size be-
tween either of these species and A. zspida is due to the influence of
climate and other local causes.
Halcyon capensis, (l.) Specimens of this bird (if absolutely the
same, ) from the vicinity of the Straits, differ from those of India in be-
ing much more intensely-coloured, both above and below; the ferrugi-
nous of the under-parts, which is very deep in apparently the males,
suffusing the nuchal collar and throat, which latter does not tend to be
albescent, and there is a considerable bluish-green gloss upon the
brown cap, never seen in Indian specimens, and reminding one of the
cap of Todiramphus collaris, (Scopoli and Swainson, v. chlorocephalus
of Gmelin.) In fact, there seems as good reason for distinguishing
these Indian and Malayan birds as species, as exists in the instance of
Cergle rudis of Africa, and C. varia, Strickland, of Asia ; and another
example of a Malayan bird which greatly exceeds its Indian represen-
tative ia intensity of colouring, occurs in the common Jungle-cock of
the two regions, alike referred to Gallus bankivas, Tem.
Coracias affinis, McClelland and Horsfield, Proc. Zool, Soe. 1839,
p. 164. The numerous specimens of Rollers from Assam, Arracan,
and Tenasserim, which I have seen, all pertain strictly to this species ;
having the upper parts greener than in C. zndica, the neck and breast
devoid of the reddish-brown colour proper to the latter species, being
purplish-dusky varied with bright purple on the fore-neck, and the
entire under surface of the wing, except near the tips of the primaries,
is deep purple: but I have obtained several specimens in the vicinity of
Calcutta, and some from Tipperah, which present every gradation of plu-_
1845. | or little known species of Birds. 191
mage from one to the other of these species, and also one or twoin the
pure affinis plumage; from which I infer that where found together
in the same locality, they not unfrequently interbreed, and tend to
merge into a single blended race. It may be further remarked that I
have never seen an example of true C. affinis with the broad terminal
purple band to the tail, which distinguishes the adult C. zndica ; but
I have seen this imperfectly developed in the mixed race, which latter
has also commonly the fore-part of the under surface of the wing in-
termingled purple and verditer. On the western side of India, the C.
garrula was obtained, together with C. indica, by Sir A. Burnes
in the Moultan; and both this and Merops apiaster are common in
Afghanistan. Whether the C. indica and C. garrula likewise iu-
termix, remains to be ascertained.*
Woodpeckers. Of the species of this group noticed in J. A. S. XII,
998 ef seg., I have now to remark, that P. (Gecinus) viridanus
would seem to be the P. dimidiatus of the Dict. Class., though not. of
Hardwicke and Gray ; P. occipitalis, Vigors, should be termed barbats,
Gray (if it be not affinis of Raffles), as there was previously a P. occipi-
talis, Valenciennes ; P. nipalensis, Gray, may, I think, be safely refer-
red to P. chloropus, Vieillot, as I before suggested} ; P. ( Chrysoco-
laptes) melanotus, nobis (p. 1005, and XIII, 394,) v. P. Hillioti,
Jerdon, is decidedly the P. goénsis, Gm., founded on the Pic vert de
Goa of Daubenton; and P. ( Chr.) strictus of Horsfield, v. sultaneus,
Hodgson, v. strenuus, Gould (noticed in Proc. Zool, Soc. 1839, p. 165,
and also in Dr. Royle’s list of birds from the neighbourhood of Saharun-
pore, though never, I believe, described by this name), which has been
commonly referred to P. goénsis, must retain the name strictus, Horsf. :
lastly, having obtained a Malacca specimen of Microcolaptes abnormis,
Tem. (p. 1005), I am enabled to confirm my former suspicion of the
near affinity of Sasia ochracea, Hodgson, which, though distinct as
a species, is most closely allied to M. abnormis. M. ochraceus is com-
mon in the hill ranges of Assam, Sylhet, and Arracan, being generally
seen hopping from twig to twig of bushes or low branches of trees,
though occasionally climbing like an ordinary Woodpecker.
* Two specimens just received from Gow-hatti (Assam) were both pure C. affinis ;
while three others from the neighbouring district of Rungpore were unmixed C.
indica.
+ This bird makes a near approach in structure to P. (Dendrobates) immaculatus,
Sw. (received from the Cape) : accordingly, it would appear that Dendrobates. is
scarcely, if at all, separable from Gecinus.
192 Notices and Descriptions of various new [ No. 159.
Picus ( Gecinus) malaccensis, Lath., founded on le Pic de Malacca
of Sonnerat, may be described anew with advantage from specimens
presented to the Society from Malacca. It is allied in size and form to
P. chloropus (v. nipalensis), and in plumage also to the species of Bra-
chylophus, but differs very decidedly from the latter in the shape of
its bill, which is larger and more that of a typical Gecinus than the
Dendrobates-like beak of P. chloropus: it has also the yellow nuchal
crest less developed than in the latter, and resembling that of Bra-
chylophus puniceus. General colour dingy green, brightest on the
back, where more or less tinged with yellow, especially on the rump ;
beneath inclining to dusky, barred with dull white on the flanks, but
the latter less predominating than in P. chloropus: wings crimson,
with dusky primaries, and green tips to the longest tertiaries: tail
black. The male has the whole top of the head, lengthened occipital
feathers, and moustaches, crimson; while the female has the coronal
feathers green, tipped only with crimson, and merely the long occipi-
tal feathers as in the male, below which those of the nape are yellow in
both sexes. Bill dusky above, the lower mandible yellow; and feet
have apparently been green. Length ten inches, or nearly so; of wing
four and three-quarters to five inches; and tail three and a half to
three and three-quarters ; bill to forehead an inch and a quarter. From
Malacca.
Subg. Gecinulus, nobis, This is a third form of three-toed Wood-
pecker (in addition to Picotdes, Lacep., of northern climates, and Z72ga,
Kaup, v. Chrysonotus, Sw., of south-eastern Asia and its islands), most
nearly allied to Gecinus, from which it differs in the shortness and la-
teral compression of its beak, and the small size of the feet, which have
besides no inner fourth toe. Asa peculiar form of Woodpecker, it is
very distinct, though represented only (so far as I am at present aware, )
by
P. ( Gee.) Grantia,* McClelland and Horsfield, P. Z. S. 1839,
p- 165. Length nine inches and a half, or ten inches; of wing five
inches ; and tail three and three-quarters: bill to frontal bone an inch
and one-eighth ; and spread of foot an inch and three-quarters. Colour
somewhat brownish red above, the secondaries and tertiaries having
three light red bars, and the greenish-dusky primaries four or five
yellowish ones; tail similarly banded; breast and under parts dusky-
* Quere, Grantii, or Granti?
1845. ] or little known species of Birds. 193
green; head and neck light yellowish-green, paler and browner towards
the beak, and the crown of the male only, dull crimson. Bill white,
with some dusky at the base of both mandibles ; and feet apparently
dark slaty. Hab. Darjeeling, and the mountain ranges of Assam.
Of the subgenus ZYiga, Kaup, three allied species exist, which have
never been yet properly distinguished.
1. P. (T.) Shorei, Vigors, P. Z. S. 1831, p. 175; Gould’s ‘ Century,’
pl. XLIX. Distinguished by its superior size, the wing measuring six
inches long; by the crimson of the rump spreading over, or rather
tinging, more usually the entire back (more or less); and by the
elongated pale central streaks of the coronal and occipital feathers of
the female, these streaks being continued nearly throughout the feather,
and anteriorly often spreading over the whole feather, so that the fore-
head becomes almost plain light brown. In one female before me,
there are also some intermixed crimson feathers on the occiput, which I
have never seen in either of the other species: but whether these are of
constant occurrence I do not know, and another female in the Scci-
ety’s museum is unfortunately deficient of feathers just at this part. Inha-
bits the sub-Himalayan region, as well as the hill ranges of peninsular
India ; but I have never seen it from the eastward of the Bay of Bengal.
2. P. (L.) intermedius, nobis. Exactly midway between the two
others ; the whitish on the coronal feathers of the female forming very
elongated spots, rather than central streaks ; and the back above the
rump not usually suffused with crimson. Wing five inches and a
half to five and three-quarters long. Common in Nepal, Assam, |
Sylhet, Tipperah, Arracan, and Tenasserim ; and the only kind which
I have seen from those parts, Nepal excepted.
3. P. (T.) tridactyla, (Sw.) Strickland ; Picus tiga, Horsfield.
Wing but four inches and seven-eighths, to five inches and one-eighth,
long: and the whitish spots on the head of the female very much
contracted, tending indeed to become obsolete, and their form a
lengthened oval, narrow and minute. The bill to gape in P. Shorez
measures an inch and three-quarters, in P. intermedius one and a
half, and in P. ¢ridactyla one and a quarter ; in a young female of P.
tridactyla before me, scarcely one and one-eighth. The specimens
described are from Malacca, and are of the only size that I have
hitherto seen from the Malay countries. Dr. Horsfield, however, gives
the length of his P. tiga as eight inches and a half; whereas Raffles
194 Notices and Descriptions of various new [No. 159.
assigns “‘ above ten inches,” and may therefore allude to P. interme-
dius. From peninsular India, I have as yet only seen P. Shorei:
but Mr. Jerdon remarks that “the specimens shot below the Ghauts
are considerably smaller than those obtained at a great elevation; the
latter attained the size of P. Shorez, though not differing in colour
from the smaller ones. The length varies from nine inches and a half
to nearly twelve inches.”
Of the closely allied division Brachypternus, Strickland, there seems
to be a second species in southern India, additional to P. aurantius
(v. bengalensis, &c.) : |
P. ( Br.) micropus, nobis. Distinguished from P. aurantius by
its inferior size, the wing (of an adult male,) measuring but five
inches, instead of five and a half, as in several adult specimens (male
and female,) of P. aurantius ; bill to gape an inch and five-sixteenths,
instead of one and five-eighths; and extended foot one and seven-
eighths, instead of two and one-eighth. There is a general neatness
and well defined character of the markings, as distinguished from
those of P. aurantius, which arrests the eye at a glance: the fron-
tal feathers, to a level with the anterior portion of the eye, are
not tipped with crimson, as in the other; the black of the nape is
continued lower upon the shoulders, considerably contracting the
golden orange of the back; and the wings are duller aureous, con-
trasting more with the brilliant dorsal hue: the white markings
of the throat and fore-neck are also reduced to small rounded oval
spots, those of the breast being larger but similarly oval, and of the
under parts below, narrower than in P. aurantius. I found this species
upon a single specimen forwarded by Mr. Jerdon, but feel no doubt
of its distinctness, especially when I recall to mind the close simili-
tude of the three species of the preceding group; from which division
the present one is only just separable.
Micropternus, nobis. By the same rule that Brachypternus is re-
cognised apart from Tiga, this must be separated from Meiglyptes ;
having the inner fourth toe and claw minute. The colouring is also
peculiar. Type P. badius, Raffles, under which, again, two species
have been hitherto confounded.
1. P. (M.) badius, Raffles: P. brachyurus, Vieillot. Wing but four
inches and one-eighth to four and a quarter long: head pale above,
the throat dark; the feathers of the latter dusky, with pale lateral
1845.] or little known species of Birds. 195
margins ; black caudal bars comparatively broad. Inhabits the Malay
countries.
2. P. (M.) phaioceps, nobis. P. rufus, Lath., apud Gray, nec
Gmelin; Rufous Indian Woodpecker, Latham. Wing four inches and
three-quarters long, and the rest in proportion : head subfuscous above,
the throat pale; the feathers of the latter concolorous with those of
the body, or nearly so, having lighter lateral margins; black caudal
bars narrow. Inhabits India proper, extending eastward to Tipperah
and Arracan.
The type of Meiglyptes is P. tristis, Raffles, v. pacilophus, Tem-
minck,* which together with an allied species, P. ( M./ brunneus, also
from the Malay countries, is referred to Hemicercus by Mr. Eyton.
P. (M.) jugularis, nobis, is a third species, of a shorter and thick-
er form than the two above-mentioned, and in size, form, and colour-
ing, much resembling P. ( Hemicercus) canente, Lesson, of which the
female is P. cordatus, Jerdon: but it is readily distinguished by the
very different form of the bill, by the buffy-white colour of the nape,
and by the rays or specks of the same hue upon its black throat.
Length about seven inches and a half, of wing four inches, and tail
two and one-eighth ; bill to forehead seven-eighths. Colour black or
brown-black, varied with buffy-white, and an obscure dull crimson
moustache in the male; occipital feathers elongated and black: neck
whitish, more or less deeply tinged with buff, and continued as a
streak along each side of the breast in front of the wings ; rump also
buffy-white, a broad oblique stripe of the same upon the wings, and
their nether surface and edge are of this hue, the large alars being
broadly banded at base internally, with slight narrow pale bars or se-
ties of small spots on their outer surface ; forehead, throat, and some-
times crown, more or less speckled or rayed with the same pale colour
that variegates the rest of the plumage. Inhabits Arracan and the
Tenasserim provinces (specimens from the latter territory having been
erroneously referred to P. pacilophus, Tem., in X, 828).
P. (Hemicercus) concretus, Tem. It is probable that there are two
species confounded under this name. All that I have seen are from
the vicinity of the Straits, and accord with Stephens’s ‘Sumatran va-
* These would seem enumerated as distinct in Mr. Eyton’s catalogue, Proc. Zool.
Soc. 1839, p. 106 ; but it is evidently a mistake of the printer.
2F
196 Notices and Descriptions of various new [No. 159.
riety” of P. concretus of Java. The adult male has the forehead and
crown bright crimson, continued on a few of the uppermost and cen-
tral of the long feathers of the occiput: in the young male, the fore-
head and crown are chesnut-brown, with a tinge of red on the medial
long feathers of the occiput; the pale yellowish buff portion of the
plumage of the upper parts being also more developed: and the fe-
male has the forehead, crown, and occiput, smoky-grey, like the sides
of the head of the males. *
P. (Dendrocopus) darjellensis, nobis. This Woodpecker is de-
scribed in J. A. S§. XI. 165, as the adult of P. himalayensis, Jardine
and Selby; and true P. Aimalayensis is there given as the young:
but the two are distinct, the present one having a larger bill, mea-
suring an inch and three-eighths to forehead, in addition to its under
parts being streaked with black ; its white wing-spot is also con-
siderably smaller. Very common at Darjeeling, and in Nepal. Mr.
Hodgson sent it by the hybrid name mayoroides, which can scarcely
be adopted.
The other Indian Woodpeckers of this subgenus are as follow :—
2. L. himalayensis, Jardine and Selby, JU. Orn., Ist. series, pl.
CXVI. Found chiefly, I suspect, to the westward of Nepal.
3. P. cathpharius, Hodgson, nobis, J. A. S. XII, 1006. Nepal:
common at Darjeeling.
4. P. hyperythrus, Vigors, P. Z. S. 1831, p. 23 ; Gould’s ‘ Century,’
pl. L. Remarkable for the slender form of its bill. Himalaya.
5. P. Macei, Cuv.; figured in Hardwicke’s Jil. Ind. Zool.: P.
analis, Tem.; P. minor, apud Raffles and Horsfield ; P. medius from
India, apud Latham. Northern India generally, and Malay countries.
The only species of the subgenus found in Lower Bengal, where ex-
ceedingly common, as it also is in the vicinity of the Straits. It fre-
quently occurs, likewise, in collections from the Himalaya.
6. P. brunnifrons, Gould’s ‘ Century,’ pl. LII; Vigors, P. Z. 8.
1831, p. 176.: P. auriceps, Vigors, ibid. p. 44. Himalaya.
7. P. mahrattensis, Latham: P. aurocristatus, Tickell, J. A. S.
II, 579: figured in Gould’s ‘ Century,’ pl. LI., and also by Hardwicke
and Gray. Hilly regions of India generally.
* P, validus, Tem., is allied in form to Hemicercus, but cannot be arranged under
it: and as another marked sub-genus, I may indicate the P. funebris, Valenciennes,
v. modestus, Vigors.
Bn Se tee ee ee
(Are../
1845.] or little known species of Birds. 197
8. P. pygmeus, Vigors, P. Z. S. 183g, p. 44. <A description of
this species, from a series comprising older and finer specimens than
those from which the Latin diagnosis was drawn up, may here be offer-
ed. Allied to the two next, but larger ; the wing measuring from three
inches and a quarter to three and a half, and tail one and seven-eighths
to two inches. Four middle tail-feathers wholly black, and the next
white only on its exterior margin: this constituting a good distinction,
as in all the following the whole of the tail-feathers are spotted with
white. The male has a crimson occipital crescent, the lateral halves
of which unite only in fine old specimens: in younger examples, this
crimson is confined to a mere lateral tuft, as in the following ; and I have
seen specimens in every degree intermediate. Forehead and crown
ashy-brown, the crimson of the occiput surrounded with black exter-
nally, forming a streak over each eye, continued to meet and expand
posteriorly. Another and brownish-black streak, more or less deve-
loped, passes backward from below the eye ; and between this and the
last is a large triangular white patch on the sinciput. Upper parts
black, with white cross-bands on the back, and the usual rows of white
spots on the wings ;: outermost and penultimate tail-feathers barred on
the outer web with white, and having a single white bar, and some-
times two, crossing the feather towards its tip; throat dull white; the
rest of the under parts brownish-white, with narrow dark central lines
to the feathers. The hoary-grey colour upon the back mentioned in —
Mr. Vigors’s description, must refer to that of the base of the feathers, ,
as shewn in a specimen thin of plumage. Common in the Himalaya.
9. P. canicapillus, nobis. Differs from P. moluccensis in the much
blacker hue of its upper parts, in the pale ash-colour of the head, a
little tinged with brown and bordered laterally with black, from amid
which appears the slight crimson sincipital tuft of the male; the size
also is rather larger, the wing measuring three inches and one-eighth to
three and a quarter, tail one and three-quarters, and bill to forehead
five-eighths ; the under parts are whitish, purer on the throat, and the
rest marked with central dusky-black lines. Common in Arracan.
£O...P; moluecensis, Latham ; figured by Hardwicke and Gray. Distin-
| guished by its prevalent brownish or sooty-black colour, and its rufes-
cent brown head and streak passing through the ear-coverts. Hab.
Central and Southern India.
10. P. nanus, Vigors, P. Z. S. 1830, p. 172. Has a larger bill
than either of the three preceding species, measuring three-quarters of
198 Notices and Descriptions of various new [ No. 159.
an inch to the forehead ; wing three inches and a quarter. The breast
is marked with dusky oval spots, passing into streaks below ; the aspect
of the under parts being much more spotted and less streaky than in
the foregoing ; a very strongly marked white line commences above
the eye (as in the last), and is continued along the sides of the occi-
put to the nape; and another broad white line from the angle of the
mouth is continued to below the ear-coverts. This species is alluded
to as a variety of P. moluccensis by Mr. Jerdon; being thus met with
in Southern India, as well as in the Himalaya.*
Of foreign Woodpeckers in the Society’s museum, one of which I
can find no description, may be designated
P. (Colaptes) hypoxanthus, nobis. Length above a foot, of wing
five inches and three-quarters, and tail five inches; bill to gape one
and three-quarters, its form less curved than in P. auratus, the lower
mandible not being arched at all. Upper parts crimson, darker on
-the wings, and passing to yellowish olive-green on the external webs
of the large alars, the secondaries and tertiaries with their coverts be-
ing broadly margined with dark crimson externally, and the primaries
having yellow shafts: tail black above, its outermost feathers freckled
with brownish-yellow: a large and broad crimson moustache, and the
space between this and the crown, comprising the lores and ear-co-
verts, greenish-yellow : throat black, the feathers edged with yellowish ;
those of the breast black margined with dark crimson, and leaving a
pale central mark on each, inclining to be linear on those of the fore-
neck, and gradually assuming the form of a transverse bar more down-
ward: the rest of the under parts and inside of the wings bright green-
ish-yellow, with some black bars anterior to the flanks. Bill black-
ish ; and legs brown. Most probably from some part of South America.
Before quitting the Picide, I may remark that the Himalayan
Honeyguide (Iudicator xanthonotus, nobis, J. A. S. XI, 166, and XII,
1010,) has a much shorter beak than in the various African species ;
with which it accords, however, in all other respects. +t
* The whole of the above are in the Society’s museum: and I have before remarked
that P. Ellioti, Jerdon, which was referred by that naturalist to the present sub-genus,
is the true P. ( Chrysocolaptes ) goénsis, v. melanotus, nobis, passim.
t To give some idea of the present state of the Society’s museum, in the department
of Ornithology, it may be here mentioned that of the Linnawan genus Picus, there are
now 121 mounted specimens, appertaining to 49 species; and of these but 10 speci-
1845.) or little known species of Birds. 199
Cuculide. Of the series of this family grading from Dasylophus
to Zaccocua of Lesson, the Indian and Malayan species may be thus
classified. #himortha belongs to the particular group, but ranges
apart from the graduated succession observable in the rest: and of this
genus, I have to remark that the supposed two species which have
been hitherto currently admitted, are one and the same; Rh. lucida,
Vigors, v. Anadenus rufescens, Swainson, v. Phanicophans viridiros-
tris, Eyton, referring to the young, and Cuculus chloropheus, Raffles,
v. An. rufus, Swainson, to the adult; the latter being also described,
and the former figured as Bubutus Isidoria by M. Lesson in the zoology
of M. Belanger’s Voyage. It will now rank as &h. chlorophea,
(Raffles) ; and I have suggested that perhaps a second species exists in
the Cuculus melanogostir of Vieillot, vide J. A. S. XL, 924.
Dasylophus, Sw. Species, D. Cumingi, (Fraser,) and D. superci-
liosus, (Cuv.,) vide J. A. S. XI, 925.
Phenicophaus, Vieillot.— A. With the nareal apertures narrow, and
placed near the edge of the bill. (Cuv.) 1, Ph. pyrrhocephalus,
(Forst.,) vide J. A. S. XI, 924: (this species has the papillose naked
red skin on the sides of the face very greatly developed ; its alleged
Cingalese habitat needs verification, especially as it is likewise stated to
inhabit Africa.) 2B. “ Nostrils elongate, and situate at the base of a
groove which extends nearly to the middle of the beak.” (Horsfield.)
2, Ph. melanognathus, Horsfield. C. Nostrils elongate, basal, and
oblique; but no groove to the bill. 3, Ph. sumatranus, Rafiles,
D. Nostrils basal, with rounded aperture. 4, Ph. viridis, Lev. ( Cugulus
melanognathus apud Raffles, &c.): 5, Ph. Diardi, (Lesson®; Ph.
tristis apudos, J. A. S. XI, 928, and probably Ph. Crawfurdit, Gray).
E. Incerte sedis. 6. Ph. (?) calorhynchus, Tem., erroneously stated
to be identical with Zanclostomus javanicus. Three of the above
are in the Society’s museum, viz. Ph. viridis, Ph. sumatranus, and
Ph. Diardi; these being all common in the vicinity of the Straits.
The first has a more tumid bill, and the second a proportionally
mens (of 7 species) are foreign to India and the Malay countries. Of other Picide
(consisting of the genera Yunx, Picumnus, Microcolaptes, and Indicator, the Bucco
group being excluded), we have 10 mounted specimens, of 7 species. Every de-
scribed (or at least every authenticated) Indian species of Woodpecker is now in the
collection: but there are several yet wanting from the eastern islands. July 6, 1849.
200 Notices and Descriptions of various new (No. 159
longer bill, than in the others; but all are closely allied, and have a
large naked space surrounding the eyes.
Zanclostomus, Swainson. A. Bill green; nostrils with rounded oval
aperture; small bare and papillose skin surrounding the eyes; tail
greatly elongated. 1, Z. tristts, (Lesson ; Ph. longicaudatus, nobis,
J. A. S. XI, 1095.) —B. Allied to last, with green bill; nareal orifices _
oval and minute ; no expanded and papillose naked space surrounding
the eyes. 2, Z. viridirostris, Jerdon.—C. Red bill, and nareal aperture
linear ; no papillose skin on the face. 3, Z. javanicus, Horsfield, &c.,
vide J, A. S. XI. 1097 ;* Paya erythrorhyncha, Lesson.—D. A fourth
section would seem to be constituted by Z. flavirostris, Swainson,
‘Birds of W. Africa,’ Nat. Libr., Orn., VIII, p. 188, and pl. XIX.
Should it be thought necessary to separate the two first, they should
rank under Melias of Lesson.
Taccocua, Lesson. This will comprehend the species confound-
ed under the ‘ Sirkeer Cuckoo” of Latham. As compared with the
preceding, they have a shorter and more compressed bill, approaching
nearly in form to that of Centropus ; and they further approximate the
latter genus in the more than subspinous character of their plumage,
and in their ground habits, although their inner hind claw is short and
curved. The following are now for the first time distinguished. |
1, JT. infuscata, nobis: probably Coccyzus chrysogaster of Royle’s
list of birds from the vicinity of Saharanpore. At least two species of
this group are indicated in Latham’s description of his Sirkeer Cuckoo
(Gen. Hist. 111, 267), the present being that first noticed by him,
and being characterized by its larger size and infuscated colouring.
‘“‘ Length nineteen inches at least: * * * plumage on the upper parts
dusky, with a tinge of purple.”"—-The specimen before me agrees with
others which I have seen from the Himalaya, and measures nineteen
inches in total length, the tail ten inches, its outermost feathers three
inches and a half less ; wing six and a half; tarse an inch and five-
eighths. Bill (as in the others) bright cherry-red. at base, yellow at
the tip, with a triangular black spot on each side of the upper mandi-
ble: feet dusky-leaden, browner on the tarse. In all three species,
the upper parts may be described as brown, washed with dusky-green,
the feathers having shining black shafts; but in the Himalayan bird,
* This species has the somewhat firmer tail of a true Phaenicophaus,
1845.] or little known species of Birds. 201
lower portion of the tibial plumes deep ferruginous, of a much darker
shade than in the other species ; tail with all but its middle pair of
feathers broadly tipped with white, as in both the others. Peculiar,
I suspect, to the sub- Himalayan region.
2. 7. sirkee ; Centropus sirkee, Hardwicke and Gray: C. cuculoides,
Smith and Pearson, J. A. S. X,659. This is probably that, next
mentioned by Latham as figured in a drawing; and it is of course the
Cawnpore species subsequently noticed by him as weighing “ four
ounces eight drachms.” I believe it also to be that figured by Hard-
wicke, and referred to by Latham as weighing but “ three ounces six
drachms and a half ;” a difference from the preceding which might de-
pend upon condition, and to a certain extent on sex, these birds being
often extremely fat. Describing from Hardwicke’s drawing, Latham
gives the two middle tail-feathers as ‘‘ eight inches in length,” but
from the published copy of the same drawing, I should say that they were
nearly ten inches. A fine specimen before me (from Cawnpore) mea-
sures seventeen inches in length, the tail nine and a half, its outermost
feathers three and three-quarters less; wing six inches; and tarse an
inch and a half. Upper parts much paler and more brown than in the
preceding species, having scarcely a trace of the green; below paler fer-
ruginous, more generally and uniformly diffused on the belly, flanks, and
tibial plumes, and tinging much more deeply the fore-neck and breast.
_ Mr. C. W. Smith describes the upper parts as being of a brownish satin
colour, a term which does not convey a very definite idea in the ab-
sence of a specimen, but which is nevertheless sufficiently recognisable
when the bird is under examination : the hue is lighter and more rufe-
scent than in the next species. Hab. Bengal.
3. T. Leschenaultii, Lesson : Zanclostomus sirkee, apud Jerdon. Dis-
tinguished by its inferior size, and generally more or less ashy fore-
neck and breast, and whitish throat ; the ferruginous colour of the belly
is scarcely so deep as in the last, and there appears always to be a
marked distinction of hue between the breast and belly, although the
former is more or less tinged with ferruginous ; whereas in the Bengal
species there is no such marked distinction of hue, the fore-neck and
breast being concolorous with the belly, or very nearly so, shading im-
202 Notices and Descriptions of various new No. 159.
perceptibly from one to the other. In the hue of its upper parts, this
species is intermediate to the two others, but approaches nearer to the
Bengal one. Its entire head has often a distinct ashy cast, not seen
in the others. Length fifteen or sixteen inches, the tail eight or nine
inches, its outermost feather three inches and a half less ; wing five and
a half to six inches ; tarse an inch and five-eighths, but considerably less
robust than that of 7. infuscata. Inhabits the peninsula of India.*
Centropus, llliger. The variations of plumage exhibited by the
birds of this genus are very remarkable, and appear oftentimes to be
independent of age or sex. Having ascertained the identity of my C.
dimidiatus, J. A. S. XII, 945, with C. lepidus, Horsfield, but which
species will bear the prior name of C. Lathami, (Shaw), I was subse-
quently led to suspect that C. sinensis, (Shaw), J. A. S. XII, 247,
might prove to be analogously identical with C. philippensis ; notwith-
standing the great difference of plumage in both cases ; and upon more
minutely examining the Society’s Chusan specimen of C. sinensis, I
found, on turning aside the feathers of the nape, some glossy steel-
black ones just put forth, different in texture from the old plumage,
and exactly according with those of ordinary adult philippenszs ; more-
over, the two entirely correspond in size and proportion, and I feel
now perfectly satisfied of their being one and the same.
In my description of C. philippensis, J. A. S. XI. 1099, it was men-
tioned that some of the young birds, in their first or nest dress, were
throughout unbarred, being coloured much as in the ordinary adult,
except that the rufous is less bright and is deeply infuscated upon the
back, while most others of the same age are conspicuously barred
throughout, as in a young Cuckoo. In general, these moult into the
usual adult dress, figured by Horsfield as C. bubutus ; but some
would appear to assume a peculiar second dress (in which state it is
C. sinensis), analogous to that of ordinary occurrence in C. Lathami,
and which seems likewise to be analogous to the hepaticus plumage of
Cuculus canorus, more frequent in Cue. poliocephalus (v. himalayanus,
* These three species of Taccocua appear more decidedly distinct, when seen toge-
ther, than perhaps would be inferred from the above descriptions: some might deem them
local varieties merely of the same, in which case intermediate specimens should occur
in intermediate districts; but even then races so nearly allied might perhaps have in-
termingled, like Coracias indica and C. affinis ; but to me they certainly appear as
distinet as Alcedo grandis, A. ispida, and A. bengalensis.
1845.] or little known species of Birds. 203
Vigors), in Cue. tenuirostris, Gray, and its Malayan near ally, Cue.
merulinus (v. flavus). Raffles was aware of this variation of plumage in
Centr. Lathami, which he identifies with Cuculus tolu, Auct., (a Mada-
gascar species, or more probably variety of several alleged African spe-
cies, all of about the same size, as Centr. maurus, C. rufus, and C. sene-
galensis, Auct.,) which it undoubtedly makes a near approach to in
the instance of some specimens; but he certainly reverses the order
of progression in the states of plumage, in his remarks upon the latter,
cited in J. A. S. XI, 1108. One young specimen, in undoubted
nestling garb, I have described in XII, 945 (at the end of the foot-
note); the second dress (probably more frequent in the female sex)
in XI, 1003; and the fully mature plumage as C. dimidiatus, toge-
ther with the notice of the young: in a fine series now before me, from
Bengal (vicinity of Calcutta), Cuttack, and Malasia, are some inter-
mediate to what I have now specified as the second and third phases,
but which were not killed during moult, the feathers themselves ap-
pearing as though they had been in process of changing colour ; but
I think it more likely that they had been put forth thus intermediate :
these have the rufous back more infuscated, a greater or less number
of the shafts of the feathers yellowish-white, on a black or rufous
ground, according to the part, and in one instance many intermixed
pale and barred feathers on the under parts, the black bars on some
of these being enlarged and more or less tending to blot the entire
feather. The Polophilus Lathami of Shaw is decidedly a specimen
in this imperfectly mature dress; the thoroughly mature garb differ-
ing only from that of C. philippensis in the less deeply rufous hue of
the mantle and wings, but the species being readily distinguishable by
its much smaller size, and the shorter and deeper form of the bill.
Analogous differences present themselves in the Centr. phasianus
of Australia; and I doubt not in the alleged African species, of several
of which I have suggested the identity, having no means of personally
investigating the problem. In the Malayan islands, the Centr. me-
lanops, Par. Mus., of Lesson’s Traité, vide J. A. S. XII, 946, is pro-
bably also to be referred to C. Lathami ; and C. bicolor, ibid., perhaps
to the same, or to C. philippensis. A distinct species occurs in C.
viridis, Scop., Lath., (founded on the Coucou vert d’Antigue of Son-
nerat,) v. C. affinis, Horsf., vide J. 4. S. XIII, 391; and another in
C. bengalensis, Lath., (founded on the Lark-heeled Cuckoo of Brown's
26
204 Notices and Descriptions of various new [No. 159.
Zoology,*) v. C. pumilus, Lesson, vide XII, 945; but with these two
Tam unacquainted.
Of the. species of Cuculus, I have now nothing further to add, than
that I feel satisfied of the identity of C. nisicolor, Hodgson, J. A. S,
XII, 943, with the common C. fugax: of C. micropterus, a particu-
larly fine male has the wing as much as eight inches and a quarter
long, and the rest in proportion; while of C. canorus, an equally fine
male has the wing fully nine inches long ; the general characters of the
two birds, however, rendering them easy of distinction : of C. Sonneratii
(v. pravatus, Horsf., v. rufovittatus, Drapiez), a specimen in nestling
dress is altogether more coarsely barred than the adult, with pale rufes-
cent upon a black ground above, the under parts white banded with
dusky, and having the cross bars broader than in the mature plumage ;
bill but fifteen-sixteenths of an inch to gape, but the general resem-
blance to the adult still sufficient to indicate the species at a glance, the
half-feathered tarse helping to characterize it apart from C. tenuirostris
and C. merulinus: lastly, of Budynamys, besides the Australian Coél,
which was identified with that of India and the Malay countries by
Messrs, Vigors and Horsfield, but which Mr. Swainson has separat-
ed (on account of its considerably larger size,) as Hu. australis, the
Cuc. taitensis, Sparrman, of New Zealand and the South Sea Islands,
is referred to this genus by Mr. G. R. Gray, (vide Appendix to Dr.
Dieffenbach’s ‘ New Zealand,’ Vol. II, 193).
Caprimulgide. Three allied species of this tribe appear to have
been lately confounded under the name Caprimulgus macrurus, Hors-
field. These are—
1. C. albonotatus, Tickell, J. A. S. Il, 580: C. gangeticus,
nobis, mentioned in An. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 1843, p. 95; regarded
as distinct from macrurus, Horsfield, in J. A. S. XII, 178 (bis),—
but referred to macrurus in XI., 586, an identification in which Dr.
Horsfield coincided. The size, however, of C. macrurus of Java is
considerably smaller ; and there is a closely allied species in Southern
India, which, agreeing better in dimensions with the Javanese bird,
I therefore presumed might be identical with the latter. Mr. Jerdon,
who has treated critically of the Indian species of this genus in the
* On the same plate is figured a “Spotted Curucui’”’ from Ceylon, which is evidently
the Cuculus ( Chrysococcyx) lucidus.
1845. ] or little known species of Birds. 205
second No. of his ‘ Illustrations of Indian Ornithology,’ provisionally
assented to this suggestion; but with proper distrust, “in a genus
where the plumage is so very similar,” remarked that the bird of
Southern India might yet prove to be distinct, in which case he pro-
posed for it the specific name atripennis: Mr. Strickland, however,
has informed me that he had lately received from Mr. Jerdon “a
specimen of his small C. macrurus from the Neilgherries, which
evidently seems to be the same as Horsfield’s macrurus”; yet it does
not appear that the latter naturalist actually compared the two toge-
_ ther, and the Society has now a distinct Malacca species which I
feel very confident will prove to be the true macrurus of Hors-
field, and I as little doubt that the species of Southern India is
C. mahratiensis of Sykes. That immediately under consideration
is acknowledged by Mr. Strickland to be quite distinct, and this
naturalist has suggested for it the felicitous name gagateus, ‘ from
its rich agate-like markings :” of its identity, however, with the species
named as above by Captain Tickell, I feel no doubt, although the
statement of that observer that the sexes are alike, does not fully
apply. It is a common bird in Lower Bengal during the cold season,
and appears to be generally diffused throughout Northern India,
but it has not been met with in the southern part of the country,
where it would seem to be replaced by the next. A fine male of
C. albonotafus measured thirteen inches long, by twenty-five in
spread of wing; the closed wing nine inches, and tail seven inches:
a small female eleven and a half, by twenty-one inches; wing eight
and three-eighths, and tail six and five-eighths. The tarse (as in the
others,) is anteriorly feathered nearly to the toes. This bird has the
crown and tertiaries light cinerascent, minutely mottled, and marked
with a stripe of black dashes along the middle of the crown: upper
range of scapularies black, more developed in the male, and bordered,
more broadly externally, with rufescent-white: lores and ear-coverts
brown: wing-coverts black, mottled with rufous, and largely tipped
with rufescent-white: a broad white patch in front of the neck, as
in several allied species: there is a band of white on the primaries,
contracted and rufescent in the female; and the two outer tail-feathers
are broadly tipped with white in the male, and much less broadly tip-
ped with slightly mottled pale rufescent in the female. Altogether
the females are much paler, and browner or less ashy, than the other
206 Notices and Descriptions of various new LNo. 159.
sex. The rictorial bristles are conspicuously white at base, and black
for the remainder of their length.
2. C. mahrattensis, Sykes, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1832, p. 83: C. ma-
crurus apud Jerdon, Jill. Ind. Orn. (vide his description of C. indicus).
Very similar to the last, but much smaller; a male now before me
having the wing but six inches and a half in length, and tail four and
three-quarters : in another the wing measured seven inches, and the tail
five; but Mr. Jerdon assigns ‘‘about seven inches and a half” as the
length of the wing, and ‘five and a half to six inches,” as that of the
tail. He adds, that he considers it may perhaps be the C. asiaticus,
var., of Latham. In the only specimen before me, there is a russet tinge
about the nape, back, and breast, not seen in the preceding species.
Formerly, I regarded what Mr. Jerdon pronounces to be a mere pale
individual variety of the variable C. indicus, as Sykes’s mahrattensis ;
but looking more attentively to the description of the latter, the state-
ment that the two outer tail-feathers are tipped with white, cannot
refer to any variety of C. indicus, wherein the four outer tail-fea-
thers (or all but the middle pair,) have subterminal white tips, the ex-
tremities being always dark. In other respects, I conceive that Sykes’s
description will apply sufficiently to the generality of specimens ; par-
ticularly as he states that it “ differs from C. monticolus and C. asiati-
cus, in the prevalent greyness of the plumage, and in the absence of the
subrufous collar on the nape.” Hab. Southern India.
3. C. macrurus, Horsfield, Lin. Trans. XIII, 142. To this I re-
fer two Malacca males, and two Arracan females, in the Society’s col-
lection, which are intermediate in size to the two preceding, and are
further distinguished by their much darker general colouring, and the
males by having the primaries black to the end, instead of being mottled
towards their tips. Wing seven inches and three-quarters in the
males, and tail six inches: in the females, the wing measures seven and
a half, and tail five and three-quarters: the males have the crown and
nape dark brownish-ashy, minutely mottled, with black dashes along the
middle of the crown, as in the preceding species, and the scapularies
and wings are similarly marked with black, set off with bright rufous-
white, the margins so coloured being narrower than in the others ;
breast and fore-part of the belly dark, and contrasting strongly with
the light buffy tint of the hind-part of the belly, vent, and lower tail-
coverts, which last tend to be whitish in one specimen, barred with
1845. ] or little known species of Birds. 207
black: the primaries underneath have no rufous bars whatever, or
mottlings, either at base or tip, and these are but imperfectly developed
towards the base of the tail underneath: but the white spots on the
middle of the primaries, and largely tipping the two outer tail-feathers,
are the same as in the others. ‘There is also the same conspicuous
white mark in front of the neck, which is represented by pale buff in
the female. The latter is altogether browner and less ashy, particular-
ly on the head and neck; but is still considerably darker than the
males of the other species ; the contrast of the dark breast and pale belly
and vent is much less decided; the primaries are barred at base with
rufous, and slightly so towards the tip, the white of the male being re-
presented by a contracted rufous bar; and the two outer tail- feathers
are also much more narrowly tipped, with rufescent instead of pure
white. On comparison of these three species together, particularly
with a good series of specimens, it is impossible not to regard them as
distinct, however nearly allied.
The other Indian species are—
4. C. asiaticus, Lath. ; C. pectoralis, Cuv., Levaillant, Ozs. d’Afr., pl.
XLIX, apud Dict. Class. ; Bombay Goatsucker, Latham. This small,
common, and generally diffused species over the country, is allied in co-
louring to the three last, but has the tarse bare, and the sexes are alike in
plumage. Mr Jerdon is ‘still inclined to believe that the species
figured by Hardwicke and Gray as asvaticus, differs from the common
kind. I obtained,” he adds, ‘“‘ what answers to this very closely in
the north of the Deccan. It differs from the common one in its larger
size, more prevalent and lighter grey tint of the plumage, and in some
other trifling points; but I have now no specimens for comparison.”
Could this have been C. mahrattensis? I certainly think there can be
little doubt that Hardwicke’s figure was taken from a Bengal specimen,
and is meant to represent the common species. C. affinis, Horsfield, is
a Javanese species allied to the present one, and this and macrurus are
the only kinds noticed in Dr. Horsfield’s list of the birds of Java ;
while, in Sumatra, Sir Stamford Raffles also speaks of but ‘‘ two va-
rieties, one with much brighter and more marked colours than the
other. They are very abundant in the neighbourhood of Bencoolen.”
Different species of Lyncornis, as well as of Batrachostomus, are how-
ever common in the vicinity of the Straits, and the former of these
would have been classed by Raffles in Caprimulgus.
208 Notices and Descriptions of various new { No. 159.
5. C. indicus, Lath., Jerdon: Cr wshieeiadeine, Vieillot. This hand-
some species appears subject to considerable variation, in its dimensions,
depth of colouring, greater or less development of the black on its
upper-parts and inversely of the fulvescent-white upon the scapularies,
wing-coverts, &c., and also in the amount of the rufous barring
upon the primaries, which I think is generally less developed in the
smaller specimens of both sexes: its tarse is feathered ; and all the
caudal feathers of the male, except the middle pair, have a white
spot near the tip, which in the female is scarcely indicated. In ge-
neral, these white spots have only a slight dark margin, tipping
the feather; but in one variety before me, with wings as much as
eight inches and a half long, the white on the tail-feathers is some-
what contracted in quantity, and has a dark border fully half an
inch in breadth, tipping each feather*. This species is, I think,
commonest in the sub-Himalayan region, but it extends sparingly over
India generally, and I have once known it to be shot in the neigh-
bourhood of Calcutta.
6. C, monticolus, Franklin: Great Bombay Goatsucker, Latham.
In this the male is distinguished by having its two outer tail-feathers
on each side wholly white, to near the tip, whereas in the female these
are barred throughout rufous and black. The female is also paler than
the male; and both sexes are, throughout, more uniformly, minutely
mottled ashy, than in either of the other species, this plainness of colour-
ing being relieved by the pale rufescent hue of the borders of the
middle scapularies, by a white throat-band in the male, considerably
less bright and contrasting in the female, and by the white on the
primaries and tail of the former. With C. asiaticus it accords in hav-
ing the tarse naked, and a sort of collar surrounding the neck. I have
twice obtained it near Calcutta, and it appears to be sparingly diffused
throughout the country from the Himalaya southward ; Capt. Abbott
has also sent it from Arracan.
* The specimen here adverted to is probably not Indian, but from the eastward ;
and may prove to be of a distinct species : and one Neilgherry specimen forwarded by
Mr. Jerdon has also much the appearance of being distinct ; in this, the ashy portion
of the plumage is much more albescent than usual, contrasting strongly with the
black, and there is scarcely a trace of rufous, except some broken bars of this colour at
the base of the primaries ; a row of whitish spots bordering the scapularies shew very
conspicuously ; the white spots on the tail-feathers are larger than usual ; and the
wing measures but seven inches and a quarter long: it is a remarkably handsome
bird.
1845. ] or little known species of Birds. 209
That very beautiful bird, the Lefficornis cerviniceps of Gould, extends
so high as Arracan, where it is not very uncommon ; and the Society
also possesses L. Temminckii from'Singapore. Bombycistoma Fullar-
tonii, Hay, J. A. S. X, 578, is identical with Batrachostomus
auritus, (VY. and H.), Gould, which name it must bear; and with
respect to the supposed Podargus (or rather Batrachostomus) javensis
of Coorg, in southern India, noticed in XI, 798, Mr. Jerdon has since
informed me that “ it is not that species, but a smaller one, about. eight
or nine inches long; of which,” he remarks, “ I have seen a Malacca
specimen. It is, I think, distinguished in Lesson’s ‘ Manuel d’ Ornitho-
logie, which I do not possess. I can perfectly trust to the descrip-
tions I received of it, and hope yet to obtain specimens.” Most pro-
bably it is the Podargus (now Batrachostomus) stellatus, Gould, Proce.
Zool. Soc. 1887, p. 43, which, together with Bat. auritus and B. ja-
vensis (v. Podargus cornutus, Tem.), inhabits the Malay peninsula.
Cypselide. Swifts. To Mr. G. R. Gray is due the credit of first
separating the Hirundo esculenta, Lin., (the constructor of the cele-
brated edible birds’-nests,) from the group of Swallows, and transfer-
ring it, as a new and distinct generic type, Collocalia, to that of the
Swifts: and I can now announce a second representative of this type
in the Hirundo unicolor of Jerdon, since regarded by him as a Cypselus,
upon which I altered the specific name to concolor (J. A. S. XI, 886), as
there was previously a Cypselus unicolor ; but it must now rank as Col-
localia unicolor, (Jerdon). From the true Swifts (Cypselus), the
species of Collocalza differ in their considerably less robust general
conformation, in their comparatively very slender tarsus and _ toes,
and in having the hind-toe distinctly opposed to the three an-
terior toes. Mr. Jerdon ‘only found this remarkable species in the
Neilgherries, and about the edges of the hills. It flise in large
flocks, and with very great speed.” The Society has also received it
from Darjeeling. Is it, therefore, exclusively a mountain species, which
‘constructs glutinous nests like the other, but in mountain caverns ?
Or does it resort, like its congener, to the caverns of cliffs overhanging
the sea-shore during the breeding season, in this case being perhaps
the constructor of the edible nests which are found on the western coast
of the peninsula of India, as, for instance, in the group of small islands
about eight miles west of Vingorla (which is 275 miles from Bombay),
commonly known as the Vingorla rocks, where about a hundred-
i ' :
—_.
210 Notices and Descriptions of various new LNo. 159.
weight of these nests are produced annually ? To myself, who, long ago,
following the accounts of the edible nests being constructed by a true
Hirundo, found this a stumbling block to one of the distinctions
which I drew between the Swallows and the Swifts, I confess it yielded
some gratification to find my suspicions in this matter completely con-
firmed ; for the nest of Cypselus apus of Europe is essentially similar
to that of Collocalia esculenta, containing a large quantity of glutinous
matter, which there can be no doubt is secreted by the very large sali-
vary glands of the bird* ; whereas in Hirundo urbica, the nests of which
species might be thought to present a marked analogy, the fabric is con-
structed of mud, or, as Vieillot remarks, worm-casts are selected for the
purpose, and the birds may be commonly seen on the ground collect-
ing material of the kind, many of them often resorting to the same wet
place,—the Swifts, on the contrary, never descending to the ground
at all. The two groups of Swallows and Swifts present a very
remarkable instance of what is termed analogy, or mere external
and superficial resemblance, as opposed to affinity, or intrinsic phy-
siological proximity. Though externally» resembling in their adaptive
characters, as a Cetal may be said to present a superficial resemblance
to a fish, sufficient indeed to have occasioned the group to be still popu-
larly classed with fishes, the difference between the Swifts and Swallows
is analogous in kind, but inferior in degree, to that which necessitates
the Whales and Porpoises to be removed aitogether from among fishes:
and the same intrinsical similarity in the essential structure, which com~
pels us to arrange the Cetals in the class of mammalia, equally approxi-
mates the Swifts to the Zrochilide (or American Humming-birds),
while the Swallow conformation is modelled on the ordinary passerine
type, from which it deviates only in external modifications, having re-
ference to mode of life. In the Swift, as in the Humming bird, the
entire structure, alike as regards the rudimental anatomy and the ex-
ternal characters, concurs to produce the maximum of volar power ;
whereas n the Swallows there is no such general concurrence, but the
potency of flight seems entirely due to the development of the wings
and tail, the sternal apparatus in no respect differing from that
* Vide Mag. Nat. Hist. 1834, p. 463 et seg. The nests there described passed into my
possession, which enables me to state that the glutinous matter was in greater quan-
tity than would appear from the account given by Mr. Salmon. The fact is, it con-
stitutes the basis of a Swift’s nest, by which is made to adhere the various light sub-
stances gathered in the air by these birds, when such are blown about on a windy day.
1845.] or little known species of Birds. 211
of a Sparrow, or a Robin, but retaining the peculiar configuration ob-
servable throughout the passerine type, in all its integrity. It would be
out of place here to pass in review the principal details of conforma-
tion of the groups to which the Swifts and Swallows respectively belong,
and to shew how essentially they differ in the whole skeleton, in the ali-
mentary organs, that of voice, &c. ; even to the structure of the feathers,
and to the circumstance that the Swifts (like the Zvrochilide and Ca-
primulgide,) have never more than ten recérices, while the Swallows
have twelve, in common with the whole of the grand series of passe-
rine birds, save one or two peculiar exceptions, of which the Drongo
(or King-Crow) group is the most remarkable one. I shall conclude
for the present by indicating the Indian species of Cypselide.
These fall under four generic heads.
Acanthylis, Boie, v. Chetura, Stephens: from which Pallene of Les-
son, containing the Indian species, is placed separately by Mr. Gray,
for reasons with which I am unacquainted. Mr. Hodgson, also, says of
the Himalayan species, that it is “ certainly not a Chetura as defined by
Stephens. Ihave set it down in my note book,” he adds, “as the type
of a new genus, called Hirundapus,” (a bad hybrid name, which holds
priority over Pallene), Mr. Swainson, however, had long previously fi-
gured the same bird asa true Chetura, from which genus I cannot per-
ceive in what it differs.
1. Ac. gigantea, (Tem.) Inhabits the Malay countries, extending
northward to Arracan, where it is of rare occurrence; it also occurs in
the Neilgherries. Chin albescent, but not forming with the throat a large
pure white patch, as in the next species ; and the spinous tail-feathers 7
are much stouter, with their webs tapering, and not terminating ab-
ruptly as in the other.
2. Ae. caudacuta,* (Lath.): Hirundo fusca, Shaw ; Chetura australis,
Stephens ; Ch. macroptera, Swainson ; Ch. nudipes, Hodgson, J. A. S.
v. 779; Cypselus leuconotus, Mag. de Zool. 1840, Ois., pl. XX, and
figured in the Souvenirs, &c. of M. Adolphé Delessert, pt. II, pl. IX,
* The Himalayan bird is certainly the macroptera of Swainson; and as this is
given as a synonym of Latham’s caudacuta by Mr. Strickland, (An. and Mag. N. H.
ow 1843, p- 337,) on the authority of the drawing upon which Latham founded his
description, now in the possession of the Earl of Derby, I of course bow to the decision
of that naturalist; though Latham’s statement that it has the ‘‘ forehead white, and
throat very pale dusky,’’ certainly applies better to Ac. gigantea of the Malay countries,
2H
- | |
vn ee f bhi me
212 Little known species of Birds. LNo. 159.
p. 25. Himalayan; and said to be the same as the Australian species,
though I question if specimens have ever been actually compared.
— Cypselus, Uliger. Ordinary Swifts.
1. C. melba, (L.): C. alpinus, Tem. Neilgherries, Travancore, &c. ;
also Southern Europe.
2. C. pacificus (? Lath.): C. australis (?), Gould, Proe. Zool. Soe.
1839, p. 146; vide J. A. S. x1, 886. Penang.
3. C. leuconyx, nobis. Closely allied to the last, and described
from a Deccan specimen in J. A. S. xt, 886: a Calcutta specimen
(being the only one which I have yet heard of) flew into the window of
a house in Garden Reach, and was obligingly presented to the Society
by Willis Earle, Esq. It minutely agrees with my description of the
other, except that the wing is a quarter of an inch longer. The
marked difference in size of foot from the preceding species forbids
their being considered of one kind.*
4. C. affinis, Gray, Hardwicke’s Ill. Ind. Zool: C. nipalensis, Hodg-
son, J. A. S. v. 780. India generally ; very common about Calcutta.
5. C. palmarum, Gray, zbid. India generally ; common.
Collocalia, G. R. Gray.
1. C. unicolor, (Jerdon): Cypselus concolor, nobis, J. A. S. xt, 886.
Darjeeling ; Neilgherries.
2. C. esculenta, (Lin.) Malay coasts: common in the Nicobar
islands; and Captain Phayre informs me that ‘it is to be had on the
rocky islands off the southern part of the coast of Arracan:” it also
(or possibly the preceding species, vide p, 210,) breeds along the Mala-
bar coast, and so far northward as the Vingorla rocks.
Macropteryx, Swainson.
M. klecho, (Raffles): Cypselus longipennis, Tem. Central and
Southern India, and Malay countries.
Mr. Swainson gives, as a second species, the Sumatran Cypselus coma-
tus, Tem., which I have not seen; and as a third, C. mystaceus,
(Lesson,) who applies the name Pallestre to the genus.
July 12th, 1845. BAB.
* There is a Cypselus vittatus, from China, figured in the 2nd series of Jardine
and Selby’s ‘ Lllustrations of Ornithology,’ which I believe is allied to C, pacificus (?)
and C. leuconyx ; but it has the tail forked to the depth of an inch.
(To be continued.)
—— —_—_
¢
cnn er
213
Observations on the rate of Evaporation on the Open Sea ; with a de-
scription of an Instrument used for indicating tts amount.” By T.
W, Larwxiey, Esq.
It has often occurred to me, that a simple and convenient instru-
ment for ascertaining the actual amount of exhalation from a humid
surface, could not fail of being essentially serviceable to meteorologi-
cal science, as well as to the arts. An instrument for this purpose
was indeed contrived by the late Professor Leslie, to which he gave
the name Atmometer: but though very ingenious, and fulfilling
tolerably well the intentions of the inventor, it fails in a very impor-
tant qualification of scientific instruments, simplicity of construction
and use ; and is consequently less frequently employed in observing
the condition of the atmosphere in reference to dryness and humidity
than is desirable. The instrument is thus described by its inventor ‘
‘The Atmometer consists ofa thin ball of porous earthenware, two or
three inches in diameter, with a small neck, to which is firmly
cemented a long and rather wide glass tube, bearing divisions, each of
them corresponding to an internal annular section, equal to a film of
liquid that would cover the outer surface of the ball to the thickness
of the thousandth part of an inch. The divisions are marked by por-
tions of quicksilver introduced, ascertained by a simple calculation,
and they are numbered downwards to the extent of 100 to 200; to
the top of the tube is fitted a brass cap, having a collar of leather,
and which after the cavity has been filled with distilled water, is
screwed tight. The outside of the ball being now wiped dry, the in-
strument is suspended out of doors, exposed to the free access of the
air. In this state of action the humidity transudes through the
porous substance just as fast as it evaporates from the external sur-
face; and this waste is measured by the corresponding descent of
water in the stem. If the Atmometer had its ball perfectly screened
from the agitation of the wind, its indications would be proportional
to the dryness of the air at the lowered temperature of the humid
surface ; and the quantity of evaporation every hour as expressed in
thousand parts of an inch, would when multiplied by 20 give the hy-
grometric measure. ‘The Atmometer is an instrument evidently of
extensive application, and of great utility in practice. ‘To ascertain
with accuracy and readiness the quantity of evaporation from any
214 Evaporation on the open Sea. |_No. 159.
surface in a given time, is an important acquisition, not only in meteo-
rology, but in agriculture and in the various arts and manufactures.
The rate of exhalation from the surface of the ground is scarcely of
less consequence than the fall of rain, and a knowledge of it might
often direct the farmer advantageously in his operations. On the
rapid dispersion of moisture depends the efficacy of drying houses,
which are often constructed most unskilfully, or on very mistaken
principles.”
The instrument which I have found to answer extremely well,
consists of a glass tube the bore of which must be equable, and may
vary from one or two-tenths of an inch in diameter to a much larger size,
according to the pleasure of the constructor. If the bore be not quite
equable, its varying capacity must be ascertained and allowed for on
the scale to which it is to be attached. One end of this tube, after
being ground quite flat and smooth, is to be closed with a porous sub-
stance, which space permits the free transudation of water, but yet not
so freely as to accumulate in drops or to fall. I find that common cedar
wood possesses the requisite quality, and forms a plug which swells
so as to become water-tight ; and by its porous structure permits the
fluid to permeate as rapidly as the atmosphere removes it from the
exposed surface. The tube thus prepared, and filled with distilled
water, is to be attached to a scale divided into fiftieths or hundredths
of an inch, upon which as the evaporation proceeds and the column of
fluid descends, the daily amount of evaporation may be conveniently
observed. No other precaution seems necessary in using this Atmometer
than to supply it with very pure rain or distilled water ; for any saline
matter it might contain would be deposited upon the evaporating
surface, and would interfere very materially with the result. To
prevent error from this source, the entire tube should be very frequent-
ly (say every time that it is filled,) washed in a quantity of clean
water to remove accidental impurities ; and the cedar plug occasion-
ally renewed.
The following observations made with this instrument on board of the
ship ‘‘ Southampton,” on her recent voyage from England to Calcutta,
showing the rate of evaporation on the open sea in tropical latitudes,
may not be altogether uninteresting to such as are curious in oceanic
meteorology. The instrument was suspended in a shaded part of the
vessel, exposed freely to the action of the wind.
i
1845. | Evaporation on the open Sea. 215
; Evaporation
Latitude. | Longitude. | Barometer. Eee ete a
. inches.
ce) / (c aa °o
October 3 37.158 40 31E 29.90 62 0.40
4 37 13 44 05 30.13 63 0.38
5 37 19 47 50 30.10 64 051
6 37 09 5151 30.06 66 0.33
7 36 38 06 14 30.08 56 0.40
8 35 58 09 90 30.12 08 0.45
9 35 39 62 21 30.16 61 0.40
10 34 46 67 19 30.14 62 0.40
11 33 24 71 47 30.02 63 0.41
12 31 51 76 04 29.94 63 0.35
13 30 27 79 05 30.09 66 0.38
14 28 04 82 37 30.16 69.5 0.37
15 26 14 84 25 30.18 71 0.39
16 24 25 86 10 30.19 71.5 0.60
17 23 02 86 14 30.24 72 0.62
18 21 06 86 18 30.10 73 0.72
19 18 25 86 34 30.11 76 0.68
20 16 39 86 36 30.10 Vis 0.70
21 14 42 8654 | 30.11 81 0.70
22 11 07 86 54 30.00 82 0.78
23 7 39 86 34 30.09 84 0.80
24 357 87 10 30.05 84.5 0.82
25 2 08 87 19 30.04 83.5 0.75
26 109N 87 57 29.97 84 0.86
27 419 89 32 30.00 82.5 0.98
28 6 41 90 16 30.00 84 1.00
29 758 90 40 30.00 84.5 1.06
30 8 50 90 52 30.02 81.5 0.88
3l 9 35 90 40 30.00 84 0.72
November 1 10 55 90 15 30 00 84 0.93
2 13 10 89 56 30.03 81 0.82
3 14 15 90 00 30.05 86 0.40
4 15 20 89 30 30.05 84 0.70
9) 17 25 88 49 30.00 83 0.67
6 18 84 88 24 30.00 83 0.72
7 18 52 88 45 30.02 83 0.68
8 19 23 88 53 30.10 83 0.88
9 1918 — 89 37 30.00 $2 1.15
10 19 56 89 43 30.00 82 1.25
11 20 or 89 00 30.00 81 1.24
12 20 54 89 12 29.95 80 b.32
13 Sandheads. 29.98 Su 1.04
The reader will perhaps be surprised at this high rate of evapora-
tion on the open sea, differing as it does so widely from that deduced
by M. Von Humboldt from his own observations with the hair hy-
grometer. That accomplished observer gives the following results,
calculated from a formula of M. d’ Aubuisson, which does not how-
ever appear to meet all the circumstances of the case.
216 Evaporation on the open Sea. [No. 159.
Quantity of water
Hygrometer. evaporated per hour
in millimetres.
; Thermometer,
Latitude N. (Cent. grade.)
ue eee Ce ee ee ee ee ee
LS ES SA a Se
39 10 14.5 82 0.13
30 36 20.0 85.7 0.14
29 18 20.0 83.8 0.16
18 53 21.2 81.5 0.20
16 19 22.5 88 0.13
12 34 24.0 &9 0.13
10 46 25.4 90 0.12
111 25.0 92 0.09
“‘ Tt follows from these researches,” says M. Von Humboldt, “ that
if the quantity of vapour which the air commonly contains in our
middle latitudes, amounts to about three-quarters of the quantity ne-
cessary for its saturation, in the torrid zone this quantity is raised to
nine-tenths. The exact ratio is from 0.78 to 0.88. It is this great
humidity of the air under the tropics, which is the cause that the
evaporation is less than we should have supposed it to be from the
elevation of the temperature.”
These inferences seem scarcely compatible with the actual indica-
tions of my instrument. But it must be observed, that besides being
imperfect as a hygroscope, De Luc’s instrument takes no cognizance of
the important agency of the wind in promoting evaporation. So far
from diminishing, the exhalation from the surface of the sea would
appear to augment very rapidly as we approach the torrid zone: my
observations exhibiting a daily average of 0.398 in. from latitude
37° 15’ S. to latitude 24° 25’, and of 0.809 in. through the tropics.
Se —" —
217
On the Alpine Glacier, Iceberg, Diluvial and Wave Translation Theo-
ries ; with reference to the deposits of Southern India, its furrowed
and striated Rocks, and ftock basins. By Carrain NEwso.p,
M.N.I., F.R.S. Assist. Commissioner Kurnool, Madras Territory.
With a plate.
The geological reader in looking over the published remarks of ob-
servers on the geology of Southern India, can hardly fail being struck
with the almost utter absence of any notice of a boulder or drift
formation, analogous to that which prevails to a great extent over the
surface of the northern parts of Europe, and in the higher latitudes
of the opposite hemisphere. Nor has any undoubted testimony been
hitherto laid before the geological world as to the existence in Southern
India of the polished surfaces of rocks, grooves, parallel strie, perched
blocks, truncated conical mounds, tumuli, and long ridges of gravel,
-which have been so conspicuously pointed to in Europe by Agassiz
and others, as unquestionable evidences of the overland march of gla-
ciers conveying boulders, gravel, sand, and loam to great distances.
Charpentier and Venetz were the first, I believe, to promulgate the
theory—that ancient Alpine glaciers extended far beyond ‘the pre-
sent limits of glaciers from the Alps to the Jura, and were the means of
conveying the gigantic angular granite and crystalline blocks of the
former chain, to the strange position they now occupy on the lime-
stone slopes of the latter ridge, over the intervening valley, which is
one of the deepest in the world and upwards of 50 miles in width.
To account for the extension of glaciers across this valley to the Jura,
now entirely destitute of glaciers, M. Charpentier supposes the eleva-
tion of the Alps to have been much greater than now: and it ap-
pears certain that moraines, strie, and furrows, considered to be
indubitable marks of glacial action, can be traced in the Alps to
great heights above the present glaciers, and to great horizontal dis-
tances beyond their lower limits. The Jura, which is only about
one-third of the average height of the Alps, presents similar marks of
glacial action to the Alps, although now entirely destitute of glaciers.
It was subsequently objected, that the phenomena of erratic boul-
ders extend over the northern and more temperate zones of Europe,
Asia and America, in flat tracts, and consequently could not be ac-
Or ee en ee? a IT Er
218 On the Alpine Glacier, Iceberg, [ No. 159.
counted for by so local a cause as the former greater elevation of the
Alps.
To explain these difficulties, M. Agassiz repudiates the former
greater elevation theory; and supposes a former colder state of
climate prevailing over the countries, in which the phenomena of
boulders are found, and which covered them, as is now the case in
Greenland, with sheets of ice and glaciers.
He supposes that most of the large longitudinal beds of unstratified
gravel we see in the North and West of England, Scotland and Ire-
land, to be the lateral moraines, and the conical truncated mounds
and insulated tumuli to be the terminal moraines of ancient glaciers,
(left by their retreat, and not pushed forward by them as supposed by
Charpentier,) broken and washed by deddcles occasioned by the thaw-
ing of the ice, masses of which were thus drifted in diverging direc-
tions, conveying the large insulated angular masses of rock called er-
ratic blocks to the strange situations we now see them occupying.
Circles of such angular blocks seen round the summits of conical
peaks are supposed to be occasioned by the glaciers lodging on it and
melting on it. They are usually called perched blocks.
The rounded or bouldered blocks and gravel are supposed to have
been produced by the trituration of the masses of ice and glaciers
upon the subjacent surface, and the angular blocks which are found
on the surface of the rounded materials, to have been left there by the
melting of the ice. The interstratified deposits of mud, gravel and
sand are considered to be a re-arrangement of the smaller materials of
a moraine produced by the water resulting from the melting of a
glacier. M. Agassiz observed polished surfaces, furrows, cavities, and
strie in the rocks of England, &c. where the boulder formation ex-
ists, similar to those in the Alps, and considers them also as proofs of
the former existence of glaciers in those now temperate regions.
The longitudinal furrows, &c. were observed by Seffstrom and others
to havea general direction of N. W. and S. E. in the rocks of Lapland,
Norway, and Sweden; which, added to the circumstance of blocks of
granite confessedly from the mountains of Scandinavia being found im-
bedded in the boulder and drift of the eastern coast of England and
Scotland, over Russia and Germany to the borders of Holland, and
other reasons, induced many distinguished geologists to suppose the
1845. | Diluvial and Wave Translation Theories. 219
boulder deposit to have been produced by a deluge, or great oceanic
wave from the north. These parallel furrows were supposed to have
been caused by the passage of gravel propelled by this great current,
and hence called ‘ diluvial schrammen.”
Botlingk, however, has observed that some of these Scandinavine
furrows have centres of dispersion (like those formed by modern gla-
ciers on the Alps,) conformable to the major axis or longitudinal di-
rection of each valley. Inthe south of Sweden, he says, the strie in-
cline southerly ; but on the east of Lapland northerly to the Icy ocean ;
he states, the general direction of the striz on the summits of Scandi-
navia to be from N. W. to S. E. Those also in North America ob-
served by Professor Hitchcock, have a similar direction.
M. Agassiz repudiates this diluvial theory as applicable to the
drift and parallel furrows on the rocks of England and Scotland,
which he states to diverge every where from the central chains of the
country, following the course of the vallies; and that the distribution
of the blocks and gravel follows similar directions, each district often
having its peculiar debris traceable in many instances to its parent
rock at the head of the valley. Hence, he infers, the cause of the trans-
port must be sought for in the centre of the mountain ranges, and
not from a point without the district. The Scandinavian blocks in
the drift of England, he confesses, may have been transported on float-
ing ice. .
M. Agassiz does not deny the power of water to produce the fur-
rows, and polishing of rocks in sz¢é ; but states he has not been able
to find them on the borders of rivers, lakes, and on sea coasts; that
the effects produced by water are sinuous furrows proportioned to the
hardness of rocks; not even, uniform, polished surfaces, such as those
presented by rocks acted upon by glaciers having both loose gravel
under them, and pebbles and pieces of rock firmly set in their lower
surface like teeth in a file, and which are independent of the compo-
sition of the stone: for, he states, wherever the moveable materials,
which are pressed by the ice on rocks in sitfi, are hardest, there occur
independent of the polish, striz more or less parallel in the general
direction of the movement of the glaciers. Thus, in the neighbourhood
of glaciers, are found those polished round bosses which Saussure dis-
tinguishes by the name of ‘ roches moutonnés.’ The most sain fea-
I
290 On the Alpine Glacier, Iceberg, [No. 189.
tures in the distribution of Alpine glacial strie are thus diverging at
the outlets of the vallies, and their being oblique and never horizontal
on the flanks, which they would be, were they due to the agency of
water, or floating masses of ice.
The cause of their obliquity M. Agassiz ascribes to the upward
expansion of the ice by the freezing of the water infiltered into the
crevices and pores of the glaciers, and the descending motion of the
glacier itself which he considers produced by this expansion of the
mass and its gravitation.
From the resemblance in shape, and the interior arrangement of
the beds of the so-called diluvium of England, France and Germany,
that of the moraines confessedly produced by existing Alpine glaciers ;
from the presence on these rocks of furrows, &c. resembling those
now produced at the bottom of moving glaciers ; their radiation from
mountain centres of elevation and coincidence of direction with that
of the vallies down which glaciers would descend ; their obliquity just
described, and from the existence on the Jura limestone of basin and
funnel-shaped cavities, and small indentations similar to those
seen forming at the bottom of glaciers by small and temporary cas-
cades descending through cracks and chasms in the ice, and from the
association in those regions of these Alpine phenomena, which M.
Agassiz contends are inexplicable on any theory of aqueous action apart
from ice ; he infers, as already stated, that very large portions of the
now temperate regions of the globe have for a long period been covered
with ice and snow.
A few shells of an arctic character, which have been found in the
boulder deposits of Scotland and North America in addition to the above,
constitute all the evidence we have of the period of intense cold, on
which rests the Alpine glacial theory as applicable to the boulder de-
posits ; and which M. Agassiz ingeniously imagines, accounts for the
extinction of the mammoths which flourished in the warm period
immediately antecedent, and the appearance of their frozen remains in
arctic glaciers. The frozen period was followed by the more temperate
human epoch.
The views of M. Agassiz on the origin of the boulder deposit have
met with powerful support from Dr. Buckland, and partially from
Mr. Lyell.
1845. | Diluvial and Wave Translation Theories. 221
Mr. Murchison, the late distinguished President of the Geological
Society, and M. Vernenil, reject the Alpine glacial theory, considering
it as totally inapplicable to the boulder formation overspreading great
part of Russia ; the large granitic and other crystalline blocks of which
(previously alluded to) have attracted so much attention from the days
of Pallas up to the present time. ‘These blocks, which have all been
evidently derived from the North, are shown to have been deposited
under the sea, or in other words, ov a sea bottom, since they cover
marine shells of the post-pleiocene period. The smaller blocks of the
detritus are in general carried to greater distances than the larger ; the
distance being sometimes 1000 miles from the parent beds to the
N. W. As in the English deposits, although a large proportion con-
sisted of material brought from a distance, yet it contained a con-
siderable portion of the detritus of the subjacent and adjacent rocks,
the nature of which was often indicated from the colour of the
superficial clay and sand. Mr. Murchison and M. Vernenil obser-
ved no instance of any substance having been transported from
S. to N. except by the modern action of streams, and by local causes
dependent on the present configuration of the land.
In room then of the Alpine glacial theory these authors substitute
that of Icebergs. They believe that these great blocks have been trans-
ported on floating icebergs set adrift from ancient glaciers supposed
to have existed in Lapland and the adjacent tracts ; from the northern
chains of which the blocks were originally disiodged and impelled
southwards into the sea of that period, in which the post-pleiocene
shells they are now seen to rest upon were accumulated.
They did not observe any parallel strive or polishing of the surfaces
of the rocks of Central Russia, but describe the most southerly of
the scratches which came under their notice near Petrazowodsk on
the Lake Onega.
They consider these marks may have been caused by the ice-floes
and detritus dislodged and set in motion by the elevation of the
northern continental masses, grating upon the bottom of the sea ; since,
if they were caused by the overland march of glaciers, the glaciers
must have been propelled from lower to higher levels, which is
against what they conceive to be an axiom, viz., that the advance
of every modern glacier depends on the superior altitude of the
ground behind it. |
=
222 On the Alpine Glacier, Iceberg, [No. 159.
Mr. Darwin’s researches in the opposite hemisphere show, that
the boulder formation, with all its European features, exists over ex-
tensive regions of South America; in the plains traversed by the Rio
Santa Cruz (Lat. 50° S.); Tierra del Fuego,—including the Straits
of Magellan and the Island of Chiloe (Lat. 43° S., Long. 73° W.)
Mr. Darwin, in order to account for the interstratification of regular
beds, the occasional appearance of stratification in the mass itself,
the juxta-position of rounded and angular fragments of various sizes and
kinds of rock derived from distant mountains, and the frequent
capping of gravel, follows Mr. Lyell in believing that floating ice
charged with foreign matter has been the chief agent in its formation ;
but, he adds, it is difficult to understand how the first sediment was
arranged in horizontal lamine; and coarse shingle in beds; whale
stratification is totally, and often suddenly, wanting in the closely
neighbouring till, if it be supposed that the materials were mere-
ly dropped from melting drift ice; and he is disposed to think that
the absence of stratification, as well as the curious contortions de-
scribed in some of the stratified masses, are mainly due to the dis-
turbing action of the icebergs when grounded.
He believes also, that the total absence of organic remains in
these deposits may be accounted for by the ploughing up of the
bottom by stranded icebergs, and the impossibility of any animal
existing on a soft bed of mud or stones under such circumstances. In
conformation of the disturbing action of icebergs, Mr. Darwin refers
to Wrangel’s remarks on their effects off the coast of Siberia.
Professor Hitchcock, and more recently Mr. Lyell, have made us
acquainted with the great extent of the boulder formation in North
America accompanied by parallel striae, and rounded and polished sur-
faces of the harder rocks in siti; also vast longitudinal mounds
and detached tumuli of detritus. The prevailing direction of the
strie observed by the former, as before observed, assimilated to that of
the furrows on the Scandinavian rocks, viz., from N. W. to S. E.
The advocates of the iceberg theory consider these ridges and
mounds of unstratified gravel (the moraines of the glacialist) to have been
the wreck of icebergs freighted with the detritus of cireumpolar rocks,
and stranded on the shores of seas, estuaries, or lakes; or as having
been deposited in deep water by floating icebergs melting as they
approached warmer seas. The interstratified deposit, and occasional
ci,
1845.] Diluvialand Wave Translation Theories. 223
appearance of stratification in the mass itself is supposed to be occa-
sioned by a re-arrangement of these materials by subsequent aqueous
currents, which are also referred to as having given to the mass the
configuration of longitudinal reefs, or truncated mounds.
It is well known, that the present general course of existing ice-
bergs is from the polar regions towards the equator. These icy masses,
as we glean from the writings of Scoresby and other navigators, are
seen drifting in the open seas—laden with beds of rock and stone,
brought from polar regions, the weight of which has been conjectured
at from 50,000 to 100,000 tons, which are deposited as they dissolve
either on the bed of the ocean, on the coasts, or when they ground.
The breadth of one of these icebergs was about 15 miles.
A recent letter to Colonel Sabine from an Officer of the Antarctic ex-
pedition, states, that in Lat. 79° immense cliffs of ice were met with,
forming the sea borders of an enormous glacier, above which, at
a great many miles distance, the top of the mountains were visible.
The ice-cliff was constantly breaking and tumbling down, and the
disjointed masses congregated and floated away towards the equator
to 60° S. Lat., where an enormous extent of iceberg was constantly
to be found floating, and not fixed to any submarine ridge. Here they
were constantly depositing by dissolution immense quantities of
stones, earth, and other materials brought from the distant antarctic
mountains. Still more recently, Mr. Hopkins the mathematician,
supported by Professor Sedgwick, accounts for much of the drift on
the flanks of the Cambrian chain without invoking the aid of glaciers
or icebergs, by the hypothesis of the transporting forces of diverging
waves of an ocean consequent to the elevation, 07 paroxysms of
elevation, by which the mountains were raised from its bed. Such
waves he terms “ waves of translation,’ because they are found not
to rise and fall like common waves, but wholly to rise, and maintain
themselves above the level of the water. The powers of such waves
have been reduced to laws by the experimental researches of Mr.
Scott Russell, which prove that a sudden elevation of a solid mass
from beneath the water causes a corresponding elevation of the sur-
face of the fluid, which infallibly produces a wave of translation of
the first order. )
Arguing that this wave is propagated with a velocity which varies
with the square root of the depth of the ocean, Mr. Russell determines
224 On the Alpine Glacier, Iceberg, [No. 159.
the velocity of wave transmission, and that the old idea of the power
of waves extending only a little way down in the sea is not true as
touching waves of translation,—the motion and power of which is
nearly as great at the bottom as at the top.
He further demonstrates, that the motion of this wave does not fluc-
tuate, but is continuous and forward during the entire transit of its
length ; hence a complete transposition is the result of its movement :
and the wave of translation, he says, may be regarded as a mechani-
cal agent for the transmission of power as complete and perfect as the
lever or inclined plane.
Reasoning from such data, Mr. Hopkins states, that currents of 25
and 30 miles an hour may. be easily accounted for, if repetitions of
elevations from 160 to 200 feet be granted ; and with motive powers
producing a repetition of such waves he infers, from mathematical and
mechanical arguments, that there would be no difficulty in transport-
ing to great distances masses of rock of larger dimensions than any
boulders in the north of England.
Mr. Hopkins has also shown by mathematical analysis, that the
overland march of glaciers over large and flat continents is a theory
founded on mechanical error, and involves conclusions irreconcilable
with the deductions of collateral branches of physical science.
Such is a brief abstract, derived principally from the Geological So-
ciety’s Proceedings of the theories which divide the geological world
at home regarding the boulder formation, General Briggs, perceiving
that India was silent, while Europe, part of Asia, and America in both
hemispheres, were contributing to the general stock of knowledge on
this head, applied to some of the local authorities in the East to lend
their aid in eliciting information, and among others to the Marquis of
Tweeddale and General Fraser, to whom I have already transmitted
some memoranda on the subject, at their request.
On mature consideration, however, I am of opinion that the mode
I have adopted, of publishing an abstract of the theories on the
subject which agitate geologists, with a notice of the leading feature
of the principal alluvial deposits of Southern India as far as hitherto
known, followed by a short description of the characteristics of the
true boulder formation, by which it may be recognized when found in
Southern India, and a list of the chief points to which the observer’s
attention should be directed in gaining useful information on this head,
1845. ] Diluvial and Wave Translation Theories. 225
in language free, as far as possible, from scientific terms, will serve
more effectually towards the carrying out General Briggs’s views.
Existence of erratic Blocks and Boulders in Southern India.
It was Brongniart, I believe, on the authority of M. de la Luc, who
first spread among the Savans of Europe the idea that the rounded
blocks of granite around and in the vicinity of Hydrabad in the plains
of the Deccan were true erratic boulders; but after a close and ex-
tended examination of them, and of the rocks for many miles around,
I am convinced that these blocks are im sité (in place,) or nearly so,
since they invariably rest upon, or near a granite of the same petro-
graphical character ; and that they owe their prevailing globular and
rounded form to a process of spontaneous concentric exfoliation which
I have endeavoured to explain in a paper published in the Journal
of the Royal Asiatic Society for 1840.
The granite and limestone blocks at Puttuncherroo near Hydrabad,
around Bangalore, Bellary, and in the Carnatic, wherever examined
closely, I have found to be of precisely similar origin.
The formation in all these localities is one of granitic rocks, gneiss,
and other contemporaneous crystalline schists, penetrated by dykes of
basaltic greenstone, varying in structure from compact basalt to crys-
talline and porphyritic greenstone. The disposition of the last rock
to assume a globular or spheroidal shape in weathering is still more
remarkable than in the granite, which is often seen in rhomboidal and
cuboidal masses, the angles of which are first blunted, and then round-
ed off by the exfoliation.
The Hydrabad granite blocks are seen lying singly, in confusedly
piled heaps, or resting as tors or logging stones on bare bosses of a
similar granite ; and sometimes buried or half-buried in a soil formed
by their own weathering.
At Lunjabunda, in the Kurnool district, I observed a single globular
mass of granite about 18 feet in circumference, resting on a bare boss
of the same rock, from which apparently the slightest touch would
send it rolling to a considerable distance in the plain, and of which
the subjoined diagram may serve to convey some idea. (See plate,
Diagram, No. I.)
The globular block A, is cemented to the boss beneath it B, by a
paste a, arising from the decomposition of the granite itself, a felspathic
226 On the Alpine Glacier, Iceberg, [ No. 159.
clay hardened by the oxidized iron of the mica and hornblende.
Now the block A, might either roll on to a gneiss, or any other crystal-
line schist at C, or become buried in the alluvion at D. It might be
set in motion not only by a stroke of lightning or an earthquake,
but by process of its own weathering or that of the boss beneath it, or
the washing away by the rain of the cement. The distance to which
it might roll would be in proportion to the height and inclination of
the boss on which it rests, the slope of the plane at its base, and its
own weight and roundness.
In some cases the very rocks from which these globular masses
originated, and on which they rested, have weathered faster than the
block itself, and have crumbled into the mounds of angular gra-
velly detritus so common over the whole granitic area of Southern In-
dia, known to native cultivators and well-diggers under the names of
Mhurrum and Ghurrus, in contradistinction to the nodular lime-
stone gravel called Kunker.
Amid this granitic gravel evidently formed in sitt, in some places
near 80 feet deep, are occasionally found the hardest spheroidal nuclei
of granitic and basaltic rocks. These blocks have longer resisted the
decay which has worn down the rock of which they once formed veins
or dykes. Such is also the case in the angular gravel arising from the
weathering of gneiss and the other crystalline schists, in which gra-
nitic and basaltic greenstone so extensively occur in the shape of
dykes or veins.
That this gravel has not travelled far is evident from the angular
nature of its component fragments, and that it is not the transported
angular gravel of a moraine, or iceberg, is evident from the fact
of veins of quartz, extending into it from the less weathered portions of
the subjacent granite, or crystalline schists from which it is derived.
The vein A A, in the diagram is of quartz, which though crumbling
like white sand under the pressure of the fingers, is still seen to pre-
serve its relative place and proper direction in the gravelly detritus
above B, from the subjacent gneiss. (See plate, Diagram, No. II.)
Ovoidal fragments of granite sometimes occur imbedded in gneiss
at considerable distances from any surface granite, which when ex-
posed by the decay of the imbedding rock, might in an apparently ex-
clusive gneiss area be difficult otherwise to account for than asa trans- —
1845. ] Diluvial and Wave Translation Theories. 227
ported block ; however, wherever we find gneiss in Southern India, the
granite is never far distant.
Dr. Benza is inclined to consider the blocks of granite seen scattered
on the table-land of Mysore about Golcondapatnam, from the confused
nature of their arrangements and the circumstance of no hills of any
magnitude being apparent, as erratic boulders: but those which I
examined in this locality proved to be out-croppings of granitic veins or
dykes in the gneiss which bases this plain, deserted by the softer and
more easily weathered imbedding schist. Granite and greenstone are
abundant in the surrounding country ; and even when not apparent,
its existence must always be suspected in the hypogene areas of
Southern India. It must also be borne in mind, if ever granite blocks
are found at great distances from the rock whence they were derived,
that the surface of India, like that of other countries, has been sub-
jected to waves of translation caused by elevation to the surface.
Insulated blocks, knobs, clusters of granite, like those in the gneiss
and granite plains of Hydrabad, Mysore and the Carnatic, have never
been observed on the surface of the extensive diamond limestone and
sandstone patches of Cuddapah, Kurnool and the South Mahratta
country :—and only one small fragment of the former rock on the gra-
nitic and hypogene areas, at the base of the Neilgherries by Dr. Ben-
za, which alone cannot be pronounced with any certainty as a true
boulder, or transported pebble, as it may have been dropped from the
collection of a traveller.
It will be proper to observe, that the Hindus like the ancient Egyp-
tians, in the construction of their temples and statues, manifest a parti-
ality for granite and basalt ; blocks of which they will convey to great
distances, if quarries should not happen to be at hand. I have seen
a pagoda entirely built of granite amid the Moslem ruins of Bijapore,
which is situated on a plain of the overlying trap 16 or 17 miles from
the nearest granite rocks.
The Egyptians, who had the advantage of easy water carriage,
transported enormous blocks of granite from the quarries of Syene to
Lower Egypt. In the desert, as in the jungles of India, are fre-
quently seen fragments of this rock scattered on the sands—the only
remaining vestiges of former structures, and many miles distant from
the parent rocks.
NS)
K
228 On the Alpine Glacier, Iceberg, (No. 159.
The tabular summits of the diamond sandstone and limestone in
Southern India are often covered with rounded pebbles, which an ex-
amination always proved to be those loosened out of the sandstone pud-
ding stones in weathering.
Diamond gravel. Beds of gravel, in which I have observed trans-
ported pebbles which could not be accounted for by causes now in ac-
tion, occur in the valley of the Pennaur underlying a steep bed of
vegur, and in other diamond tracts. The diamond is found often as a
transported pebble in this gravel; and pits are sunk through the regur
to it. It is stratified, and bears more resemblance to the gravelly beach
of a lake in the size of its pebbles, &c. than to the incongruous mass
of a boulder bed. It rarely exceeds a couple of feet in thick-
ness.
River terraces, &c. Along the courses of the great rivers of India,
for instance that of the Bhima, are occasionally seen river terraces
and beds of gravel beyond the highest present floods and inundations.
Some of these may be owing to shifts in the course of the rivers them-
selves, but others indicate the passage of more extensive currents of
water than at present.
Captain Allardyce informs me, that the Moyar valley, a mile or
more in breadth at the base of the Neilgherries, bears evident marks
of having -been once the channel of a river, now only visible in an
insignificant stream, which even in the monsoon does not occupy one-
hundredth part of its breadth. There are beds of sand and gravel
in the cross valley of Baugapilly, through which a rivulet cuts its
way, which could never have deposited this gravel on the summit
of the Ghauts. Captain Allardyce writes me, that traces of a diluvial
current exist on the summit of the Neilgherries, upwards of 6,000 feet
above the ocean’s level; that the gravel and loam there are arranged
in such a manner, as could only take place by deposit from water,
the gravel being lowest, in a thin distinct and separate stratum, with
the lighter loam covering it to the thickness of several feet.
Lateritic gravel. Beds ofa red ferruginous gravel, principally de-
rived from the true laterite, for which they have been mistaken, exist
on the table-lands, near the flanks of the Ghauts and in the maritime
plains at their bases; but none of them assimilate the character of the
European boulder formation. Some of them are recent alluvia, but
al
1845.] Diluvial and Wave Translation Theories. 999
others are evidently derived from the denudation the laterite has
been subjected to during the elevation of the land.
Sand beds of Baroche underlying the Regur. Beds of a yellowish
brown micaceous sand, I am told by Professor Orlebar, underlie the
regur near Baroche, extending inland as far as Ahmednugger, in
which no fossils have been found.
The Black clay of Coromandel. The cities of Madras and Pondi-
cherry, and other places on the Coromandel Coast, stand on an alluvi-
um which overlies beds of bluish black clay, interstratified with layers
of sand and reddish clay. The surface black clay imbeds marine shells
of existing species.
These beds sometimes extend several miles inland. The bluish black
clay appears analogous to the 7egur, which will be described below.
This accumulation of clays and sands it is probable extends with little
intermission along the coast to the mouth of the Ganges, where they
will be interrupted probably by the fluviatile deposits of this mighty
river. The delta of the Ganges, as far as we can gather from one
boring experiment, consists at Calcutta of a series of dark clays and
sands; they rest at the depth of 350 to 485 feet on a gravel com-
posed of rolled pebbles of granitic crystalline rocks, similar to those
described by Captain Cautley at the base of the Himalayas. The
uppermost strata contained portions of peat, kunker, and fragments of
trees, and the lowest beds, beneath a layer of dark carbonaceous
clay under which were fragments of coal, fossilized portions of tur-
tles, and the caudal vertebra supposed to be that of a Saurian. In
the arenaceous beds above this, more than 200 feet from the sur-
face, were found the lower half of a humerus, which Mr. Prinsep
supposed to be like that of a dog, and a fragment of the carapace
of a turtle. From the granite and gneiss gravel it has been inferred
by Dr. M’Clelland, that bold mountains of these rocks existed in close
proximity to the present site of Calcutta. The superimposed carbo-
naceous beds indicate a marshy surface clothed with vegetation,
prior to which the currents which brought down the gravel, he thinks
were arrested by the contemporaneous subsidence of the mountains
and the lowering of the bed of the Ganges.
The Regur deposit. In a paper read before the Royal Society,
several years ago, I have already endeavoured to show that the re-
markable loam called Regur, is not a fluviatile deposit, as supposed by
—_—
[
230 On the Alpine Glacier, Iceberg, [No. 159.
Voysey, nor a modern alluvium washed from the trap rocks as thought
by Christie, but a deposit from water in a state of repose, or nearly so.
The principal objections to these theories of Voysey and Christie are,
lst. The great extent and geognostic position of the regur, cover-
ing both the tabular summits of hills, the bottoms of vallies, vast
almost treeless plains, with a sea-like horizontality of surface, often far
removed from the least influence of existing rivers and low floods. Its
occurring in broad detached patches often far above the long, narrow
lines of drainage.
2nd. Its underlying occasionally all present alluvial soils, those of
the trap included, and filling up chinks and fissures in the subja-
cent rocks.
3rd. Its overlying granitic, hypogene, sandstone, limestone, and
lateritic rocks indiscriminately, far distant from trap rocks which it
also overlies.
4th. All trap rocks in weathering, redden by peroxidation of the
protoxide of iron they contain ; and usually form first a brown, then
a reddish-brown, or coffee-coloured soil.
5th. The regur, at a distance from trap rocks, imbeds no frag-
ments of them, even of their hardest and most lasting vein stuff, such
as quartz, jasper, heliotrope, agate, and calcedony. It often imbeds
fragments of whatever rocks it may happen to overlie, or which are
washed into it.
6th. The remarkable homogeneous character and colour of the regur
over large areas, when free from recent foreign admixture, to which it
is subject, as well as to re-arrangement from present rains and inun-
dations.
7th. The different colour, generally shades of brown and red, of the
present fluviatile deposits of Southern India, and their varying charac-
ter over small spaces even.
In common with some clays of the boulder deposit, the stratification
of the vegur is rarely apparent, and always obscure. But this
phenomenon I have observed in the mud of tanks over which the
water has been deepest and stillest, and where the particles deposited
were of a very fine and homogeneous character. In proportion as the
nature of the mud deviated from these conditions, and became inter-
mixed with silt and sand, the layers of deposition became more and
more distinguishable.
1845. ] Diluvial and Wave Translation Theories: 231
This I also remarked to be the case with the mud of the Nile, par-
ticularly in the upper parts of its course through Egypt: but on the
Delta where the slope of the bed is still less, and the motion of the
stream languid, the stratification is more obscure.
Both in the mud of the Nile, and in that of the tanks of India
where annual layers of deposition may be strongly marked, the
layers of monthly, weekly or daily deposition are indistinct or not
to be traced ; hence the interior of the annual layer individually has
an unstratified appearance. ‘The same is observable in the structure
of some individual beds of enormous thickness, as in the thick-bedded
sandstones, in which, if the particles are of a homogeneous nature,
stratification is hardly visible even on the face of cliffs 200 or 300 feet
high.
It is possible that the vegur, which is often thirty feet thick,
from its generally unstratified aspect and homogeneous character—
containing no interstratified layers of sand or pebbles, was the result of
one period of deposition. In areas where stratification is said to be
more distinct, for instance in Baroche, the deposit has probably under-
gone re-arrangement by subsequent currents. It is just such a de-
posit as might be expected to result from deep waters charged with
the debris both mineral and vegetable of a submerged continent,
the coarser and heavier fragments of which, as well as the silts and
sand, had been deposited or left behind by the slowly retarding
eurrent. At length, as the waters gradually gained their level, the
turbid fluid, now charged with nothing but the very finest and light-
est particles, would move so slowly as to admit of their gradually
sinking and being deposited on its bed. Above the first cataract and in
Upper Egypt, where the current is more rapid, the deposit is usually
of a coarse, and more silty nature than in Lower Egypt and on the
Delta, and not of so carbonaceous a nature. Many of the finest par-
ticles are never deposited at all by the Nile in Egypt, but are carried
out with its waters, and discolour the Mediterranean upwards of 70
miles from its embouchure. The sea water from its great specific
gravity adds to the obstacles against deposition. The deposit of the
Nile in some parts, as well as those of some tanks in India, not only
resembles the vegus in external appearance and colour, but also in
chemical character. All three contain a considerable portion of vegeta-
ble matter,
232 On the Alpine Glacier, Iceberg, [No. 159.
In colour, extent, and position, the regur resembles the Tchérnoi
Zem covering the plains of Russia ; and in apparent want of stratifi-
cation that fine yellowish-grey loam called Loess, which covers great
part of the basin of the Rhine in beds sometimes 300 feet thick.
The vegur, however, contains no fossils except such present fresh-
water and terrestrial shells as are washed into it. If we suppose the
regur to be the deposit of annual inundations from ancient glaciers
(which Mr. Lyell takes to be the origin of the Loess) charged with
the impalpable mud of their moraines, we must examine the Ghauts
and Vindhyas, or even the Himalayas below the influence of pre-
sent glaciers, for the usual signs of glacial action. The soil now
washed down from these mountains, I need hardly observe is reddish
and sandy, very different from the deep black or bluish black regur :
but this difficulty may be perhaps got over by supposing the vast forests
which clothed them during the warm ante-glacial period to have
perished with the mammoths they shaded, and to have been ground
down by glacial action with the felspathic, silicious, caleareous, and
ferruginous particles of the subjacent rocks.
If we suppose it to be a deposit from former great inland lakes, in
most cases we shall have to raise up rock barriers, not now in existence,
to separate them from the sea and the adjacent lower lands, to sink
them again; and, in fact, to change the entire physical configuration of
the country. If it be considered a deposit thrown down on a sea bottom
from melted icebergs, we ought to see in it large angular fragments of
distant rocks, which no observations as yet show to be the case.
The non-fossiliferous character of the regur is common to the mud
of the Nile, and may be regarded as indicative of the great trituration
the debris composing it has undergone ; and probably that chemical
and other causes have combined to prevent fossilization in this soft
mud.
Rock-basins. Rock-basins, the giant’s caldrons of the Swedes, are
seen occasionally on the summits of table-lands in Southern India, as
for instance near the Kurnool frontier, with Baugapilly, and in other
localities both in granitic and hypogenic rocks, and in the diamond sand-
stone and limestone in situations above the present action of running
water; but when we see them in the fact of being excavated by water
alone in the rocky beds of the principal rivers of India during these
periodical rises and falls—conditions favourable to their production—
1845.] Diluvial and Wave Translation Theories. 233
there appears no necessity for introducing the action of glaciers to ac-
count for their presence, which I have explained in detail elsewhere.*
Furrows and parallel Strice. On and near the tops of the diamond
limestone ranges of Pycut Puspulah, and Yairypilly—not far from the
granite junction near Gooty, I have seen the surface of the rock tra-
versed by furrows, having a common direction of N. by E., resembling
those attributed to the action of glaciers ; but in Europe even, where
these marks are so numerous, the opinions regarding their origin have
been latterly so conflicting, that their unsupported testimony may be
regarded as much in favour of the diluvialist or of the advocate of the
waves of translation, as of the glacialist and icebergian.
I have since had opportunities of carefully examining the grooves
which cover the surfaces of the diamond limestone rocks near the
caves of Billa Soorgum, Kurnool frontier, and on the summits of the
hills between Dhone and Yeldroog in the Bellary district.
The limestone slabs in these localities dip slightly towards the east,
and are in some places completely scored with furrows, which observe
a parallelism over confined spaces. These furrows vary from the
size of a goose quill in diameter to two inches, and are often separated
by scabrous sharp edged ridges. They are often traversed by others
at oblique and right angles so close together that the dividing ridges
are cut up into a number of pointed cones, or pyramids.
It is quite evident from the sharpness of the edges and points of the
ridges, that the grooves were not formed by the passage of gravel moved
under the enormous weight of a glacier. The interior of the furrows
has frequently to the eye a smooth apparently water-worn surface ;
but if the point of the finger be moved gently along the bottom, it will
often be found to undulate. These undulations have been caused
evidently by the wearing down of the lips which formerly separated
the now continuous trough into a chain of oval or spheroidal cavities
exactly resembling in miniature the chains of rock basins worn in the
granite and gneiss of the Toombuddra. |
Like them the majority of these furrows are attributable to watery
erosion. They occur usually on the lines of almost imperceptible
fissures in the rock-like vallies of erosion thus. (See Plate, No. III.)
* Vide Proceedings of Geological Society, 1841-2,
cas
234 On the Alpine Glacier, Iceberg, [No. 159.
They not only traverse the upper horizontal surface of the strata,
but sometimes continue over the edges down their vertical extremity
or sides, which is attributable to the action of water slowly trickling
over the edge, and not propelled beyond the edge to a distance from
the vertical side, as is the case in a cascade.
The water, in many instances, seems to have acted corrosively as
well as erosively on the substance of the limestone; for in examin-
ing some rain water, which had lodged in one of the eroded cavities,
I found it held a considerable quantity of lime in solution. Carbonic
acid might have been supplied from atmospheric exposure or from the
surrounding dense vegetation, which the rains refresh. The solvent
power of water too in tropical climates is considerably enhanced, not
only by the increased temperature of the water itself, but by expan-
sive action of the sun’s rays on the atoms composing the rock-bare
_ surfaces, some of which I have found often heated to 130°. The solid
layers of schist are free from such furrows, but have a scabrous water-
worn appearance, as if the limestone had been washed away.
Any pre-existing cavity in the surface of the rock forming a lodge-
ment for the water, assists in the erosion of hollows. Strings of iron
pyrites frequently drop out in weathering, leaving a chain of oval
cavities, which the water soon works down into a continuous furrow.
Others commence in the perforations of lithodomous molluscs, or those
of existing snails which apparently by the chemical action of their
juices take up the lime necessary for their house and food, and are
found in numbers adhering to the surfaces and sides of the lime-
stone.
It is evident, however, that some of the furrows were scooped out
prior to the last displacements of the rock strata, as they partake of
the faults and dislocations ; and it is probable they were formed during
the elevation of the land by sea water, as it is well known that sea
water by the decomposition of its muriates and sulphates produces
furrows and wrinkles on the surface of limestone, particularly near
the water’s edges, and subsequent rains have no doubt acted in extend-
ing and modifying them. The entire absence or great comparative
rarity of such furrows on the surface of the associated sandstone, may
be regarded as a further indication of the chemical action of the water
in producing the furrows on the limestone. 7
1845. ] Diluvial and Wave Translation Theories. 235
In some places on the sides of the hills, the ends of the limestone
beds protrude in steps about a foot high, down which the rain water
has evidently flowed in a series of miniature cascades, which have
hollowed out on the slabs below little cavities, and depressions not
unlike the /apiaz of the Alps, marked by a a in the subjoined section-
al diagram. (Plate, Diagram, No. IV.)
Variolated surfaces. ‘The surface of some slabs exposed to the air
I observed to be perfectly variolated with circular, shallow cavities,
caused by the dropping out of cudic crystals of iron pyrites. These
crystals may be seen in every stage of decomposition,—first tarnishing,
and losing their bright metallic lustre; next passing into a bronze-
- coloured hue: they then become liver-coloured, and lastly pass into
a loose rust-coloured dust. At this stage, the limestone becomes
stained by the rust nearly in semi-circles, marked a a aa, on each
side of the crystal marked 6, in the Diagram 6, representing the de-
composing crystal of pyrites. (Plate, Diagram, No. V.)
In the next stage, the angles between a a a a, become discolour-
ed, and the whole stain takes a circular form; then the centre occu-
pied by the crystal drops out, and finally the whole circular space,
occupied by the rust-coloured stain.
Mark of ancient rains. Surfaces of rock variolated with such
cavities must not be set down as having been indented by an “ ante-
diluvian shower,” though marks exactly similar to those supposed to be
the effects of ancient rains exist on slabs below the surface covered
by other layers, the lower planes of which exhibit the casts of these
impressions.
Ripple marks. Ripple marks are seen in similar situations to the
rain-drop impressions, but are much more frequent in the associated
sandstone.
Strie and Furrows on granite and gneiss. Strie and furrows on
granite, gneiss, &c. in situations beyond the reach of present aqueous
causes are rare, and, from their conforming to the hard and softer parts
of the rock, cannot be set down as marks of glacial action. These
rocks, as before observed, are much subject to exfoliation by atmospheric
exposure ; consequently ancient marks, if they did exist,-are liable to
early obliteration on the air-exposed surfaces of such rocks.
2 L
236 On the Alpine Glacier, Iceberg, [No. 159
Concluding observations. In reviewing all these deposits I can
trace nothing analogous to the true boulder deposit, or to the action
of glaciers, in the marks and furrows of the rocks just described.
There is nothing which cannot be explained by existing causes, or by
the supposition of the action of water during the oscillations which,
there can be no doubt, the face of India has undergone.
The power of the wave of translation is written in large characters of
denudation over its entire surface; or they stand out in bold relief
in the bare dykes and naked clustered masses of basaltic greenstone
and granite, and also in the harder beds and veins, which we see every
where abruptly projecting, like the trap of the Wrekin in Shropshire,
from the softer abraded strata around. It is visible in some of
the larger gravels, and in the isolated horizontal beds of sand-
stone and laterite capping hills separated by denuded vallies and
plains.
To the gentler effects of the waters retiring as the land gradually
emerged from beneath, aided by minor oscillations, may be attributed
the former wider channels of the rivers—the river terraces, the inland
marine clays and sands on the coast of Coromandel, indicating former
estuaries, and coast lines and inlets, now dry land; beds of gravel
and loam in the interior ; furrows and rock basins beyond the reach of
existing aqueous causes, and ancient marl-bottomed lakes now desic-
cated, the existence of which is now only indicated by fossil lacus-
trine deposits, for instance, those of Nirmul.
The agency of floating ice in conveying the granite blocks we see
imbedded in the mud and gravel of the east coast of England, from the
mountains of Scandinavia across the intervening seas, is now pretty
generally admitted.
One remarkable feature of the boulder formation still remains to be
noticed, viz., its extreme rarity in warm latitudes, and its great pre-
valence in the cold and temperate regions of both hemispheres. In the
northern hemisphere we behold it stretching from the icy regions of Scan-
dinavia to about 55°, and overspreading part of North America; and in
the Southern world it has been traced, with precisely the same fea-
tures as in Europe, in Chili and Patagonia, between 41° South and
Cape Horn.
1845. ] Diluvial and Wave Translation Theories. 237
This fact is considered by Mr. Lyell to be in favour of the
iceberg theory, since the masses of drifting ice in approaching warmer
latitudes would melt from the warmth of the sea and the action of
the sun’s rays on their sides and surface, and discharge their rocky
freight long before reaching the equator.
The absence of the boulder formation in Southern India would add
weight to this supposition; but until it has been more thoroughly
searched for, we must not jump to this conclusion. Its comparative
rarity, however, from the evidence even at present before us, cannot
be doubted. I have sought for this formation, and also the old Silurian
beds in countries yet nearer the equator, in the Malay peninsula, but
in vain:—also on the southern and eastern coasts of the Mediterra-
nean, the Red Sea, Egypt, the southern parts of Asia Minor, and the
Peninsula of Sinai ; but with similar success.
To support both the glacial and iceberg theories a period of intense
cold in regions where a temperate climate now prevails, is supposed, as
before stated, to have existed at a period between the extinction of
mammoths and the creation of man. This cold, it is natural to
imagine, would influence more or less the climate of countries nearer
the equator, and among the rest that of Southern India; but as yet
proofs of this decrease of temperature in the latter, either by the
existence of the fossil fauna of more temperate or colder zones, the
marks of ancient glaciers, or by other physical facts, are a desidera-
tum.
For recent marks of glacial action, the Himmalayas afford perhaps
the best examples nearest the equator, and should be examined with
care for ancient moraines, and other indications of a former greater
extension of the ice and snow which now cover portions of the peaks
and sides. If they be found, the next step will be to ascertain whether
such extension of ice is ascribable to a former general decreased tempe-
rature of the surface as it now exists, or from a former state of greater
elevation of these mountains. It has lately been argued, from the
circumstance of fossil animals of warm climates having been found
in tertiary Himmalayan deposits now above the line of snow, that
the Himmalayas must have been elevated about 10,000 feet since
the extinction of these races. It is, however, possible that dur-
be See.
238 On the Alpine Glacier, Iceberg, [No. 159.
ing the warm climates of the tertiary period these animals may have
existed at the heights at which they are now found, or even at greater
elevations. The geologist: will do well, while marking the scale of
former glacial extent in these instructive regions, to note also the
nearest approach, habitual or casual, to the snow line of the subtro-
pical animals at its base. The monkey and tiger have been observed
close to it, and the elephant at no very great distance—31° N. lat. 4000
feet above the sea. Tropical perennials are blended with a flora al-
most alpine, and the palm and the pine are seen in juxta-position.
The sub-Himmalayan gravel beds entombing the remains of the
sivatherium, mastodon, elephant, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, &c., and
the mastodon beds in the valley of the Nerbudda, are all stratified,
and belong apparently to the tertiary period immediately antece-
dent to the supposed cold epoch of the boulder formation. (Vide
concluding page at the end of Desideraia.)
India, stretching down from its vast icy barrier on the north to the
verge of the equator, presents a wide field for physical observation ; a
thousand-times-told fact, but one which should never be lost sight of.
Its surface has been but partially examined, and many large tracts
wholly unexplored by the geologist. A few years only have rolled on
since the great mammifers in its deposits, just alluded to, were
brought to light by the vigorous researches of Captains Cautley, Durand,
Baker, and Doctors Falconer and Spilsbury ; and still more recently it
has been proved by the splendid fossil discoveries of Messrs. Kaye and
Cunliffe in the limestone beds of Pondicherry and Verdachellum, that
the cretaceous sea extended over the surface of at least part of Southern
India. Major Franklin has referred the diamond sandstone and lime-
stone to the Oolite and Lias, though at present they cannot be satisfac-
torily classed with these rocks until further fossil evidence be obtained.
The scantiness of these beds—the utter absence of the new red sand-
stone, magnesian limestone, and other aqueous deposits so abundant
in northern zones, has been long subject of enquiry. The Silurian
strata are also entirely wanting, and appear to thin out like the boul-
der formation as the equator is approached ; although the temperature
of the Paleozoic seas, if we may judge from the number of their corals,
must have been like that of the carboniferous period, warm. I am
1845. | Diluvial and Wave Translation Theories. 239
not aware, that the Silurian strata extend in Europe further south
than the vicinity of Constantinople.
Are we to infer that these enormously thick aqueous deposits,
abounding in the remains of marine creatures of strange and un-
known aspect, since the appearance of which whole generations of
others equally strange have replaced them and been obliterated in
turn from the face of creation, have existed on the granites and trap
of India, but have since been swept off by waves of denudation: or
must we suppose, that these old fossiliferous rocks never had existence
in Southern India and tropical countries, from the peculiar chemical
conditions, or temperature of the seas which then covered them?
Or, that the surface of these tropical regions was above the water at the
time these deposits were going on in the then warm coral-producing seas
around the arctic zone ?
It may be also advanced, that the hypogene or crystalline rocks,
which prevail so much in Southern India, are nothing less than the
metamorphic fossiliferous strata of these periods. It must, however,
be objected against this theory, that no fossil has ever been found in
them, even at great distance from granite or apparent Plutonic action.
It has already been inferred, from the rarity or absence of the
boulder formation in Southern India and other tropical and subtropi-
cal countries, that these regions enjoyed a warm climate during the frozen
period which M. Agassiz assigns to now temperate climes during the
boulder epoch. As there is no evidence of the climate of the former
regions during the Silurian period, or of the then chemical condition of
thier seas, it will be advisable, until better information be elicited, to
refer the absence and the rarity of the older fossiliferous groups of
Europe to the hypothesis of partial or entire elevation during such
periods. Of denudation there is ample proof in subsequent periods, as
before stated. We search in vain (the chalky spots near Pondicherry,
Verdachellum, and a few other marine patches—isolated, yet significant
monuments—excepted,) for remnants of these former fossiliferous cover-
ings. I have not been able to trace a pebble from their detritus in any
of the conglomerates, breccias, or gravel beds which now exist on its
surface. If such beds ever did occupy the surface, their wreck for the
most part must now lie in the bed of the ocean.
240 On the Alpine Glacier, Iceberg, [ No. 159.
If Southern India was above the ocean during the deposition of the
Silurian rocks, and other fossiliferous strata, of which no remains now
exist on its surface, it must have subsequently undergone oscillations
by which portions, or the entire mass, including the tract occupied by
its grand physical feature, the Western Ghauts, were submerged, and
again elevated to their present position with the laterite which, there
is every reason to believe, belongs to the tertiary epoch. That at
least a portion of Southern India must have been a sea-bed during
the cretaceous period, has already been shown.
Some of the points latterly touched upon in this paper involve, it
will be perceived, the highest and most interesting problems in phy-
sical geology, which cannot be solved until much more evidence be
accumulated regarding the geology and former physical phases of
tropical and sub-tropical zones. It has been ascertained beyond doubt,
that the seas of ancient periods formerly covered a far greater extent
of what is now land in the northern hemisphere, and the contempo-
raneous and much greater relative prevalence of land within or near the
tropics is supposed, in order to account for the higher temperature
which, it is evident, then prevailed in northern regions ; but the pre-
sent decrease of which is accounted for by Sir John Herschel on
astronomical grounds, viz., that the sean amount of solar radia-
tion is dependent on the eccentricity of the earth’s orbit, that this
eccentricity is, as has been for ages, actually on the decrease ; and
with it the annual average of solar heat radiated to the earth’s
surface.
Desiderata on the Boulder formation. In the hope of eliciting
information touching the occurrence of the boulder formation in
India, (and how much might be obtained even from persons en-
tirely ignorant of geology now crossing India in every direction,) I
have drawn up a few plain directions by which the true boulder
formation may be readily distinguished from the ordinary gravels
and alluvia of the country ; and have added a list of the principal
points on which information is required.
Sir John Herschel has well observed, ‘‘ What benefits has not geo-
Jogy reaped from the activity of industrious individuals who, setting
aside all theoretical views, have been content to exercise the use-
1845. } Diluvial and Wave Translation Theories. 241
ful and entertaining occupation of collecting specimens from the coun-
tries they visit.” This observation applies particularly to India—
the geology of which is so little known—where, it is true, there are no
professed geologists attached to our surveys; but where every indivi-
dual has the means and ability of adding his mite to the general stock
of knowledge, without any serious encroachment on his duties or his
pleasures. ‘‘ Even those who run may read” in the great open book
of Nature; and if they read, there is no reason why they should not
note, for the benefit of those who have not the opportunity of studying,
the same pages. *
Boulders and erratic Blocks. The term ‘‘ boulder’ has been
often misapplied to any loose rounded block of rock lying on a
plain, or elsewhere on rocks, or the soil of rocks, of which it ori-
ginally formed part. This is not a ‘* boulder” in the geological
acceptation of the term, the block being im sit#%; or not distant from
the rocks of which it once formed part. A true boulder is a mass
of rock, the corners of which have been rounded, from the size of
a man’s head to that of a field-officer’s tent or a small bungalow,
found detached and ata distance from the parent rock of which
it once formed part, and resting on rocks generally ofa different nature,
or imbedded in gravel, clay, or loam.
Erratic blocks are fragments of rock, with sharp or little blunted
corners, found in similar situations as boulders, or what is termed not
“im sité,” or transported from their native beds. Among the most
remarkable erratic blocks in the world are the angular blocks of
granite and gneiss, some as large as a Swiss cottage, which rest on
the limestone rocks of the Jura. Now the nearest granite and
gneiss rocks are those of the Alps, from which it is certain those
blocks have been derived, although the great and deep valley
of Switzerland, upwards of 50 miles broad, separates the two
Tanges.
* While Captain Newbold was writing this forcible passage at Kurnool, Lieute-
nant Sherwill was forwarding to the Society from Behar the splendid map and col-
lection of specimens which we noted in our Proceedings of January ]845, and
which the Society has most properly brought to the special notice of Government. It
is impossible to give a better illustration of the truth of these remarks.—Eps.
242 On the Alpine Glacier, Iceberg, [ No. 159.
A block of mica schist, weighing upwards of eight tons, lies on the
top of the Pentland hills, 1000 feet above the sea, 50 miles from the
nearest mountains of mica schist.
When loose, round, or angular masses of rock are seen on the sur- .
face, or imbedded in loam, clay or gravel, the nature of the rock and
that of the subjacent and adjacent rocks should be compared. If
they are similar, it will be difficult to prove the masses true boulders.
If different, the bearing and distance of the nearest similar rocks should
be ascertained, and the nature of the intervening ground described whe-
ther intersected by valley, hill or stream, &c. In all cases, specimens
about two inches square or more of the blocks, the adjacent and subja-
cent rocks, and of those from which they are supposed to have been
derived, should be broken off, and wrapped up in strong paper and
carefully marked.
If it becertain that they are boulders, or erratic blocks, and not “ in
sita,” their size and shape and number should be described, drawings
made, the arrangement and longitudinal direction of the blocks, their
bearings by compass, the height above the sea if possible, a description
of the physical features of the locality and surrounding country.
When circles of blocks are found round the tops of hills or other
projecting points of the surface, care should be taken not to confound
the old cairn-like mounds, circular burial places, old sheepfolds, remains
of forts, or other old enclosures scattered over India, for the circles
called ‘‘ perched blocks.”
The old inhabitants and watchmen (Taliaries) of the nearest village,
should be carefully questioned on such points.
When erratic blocks can be traced to the parent rocks, it should be
carefully noted whether they gradually increase in size as the rocks
whence they were transported are approached.
Gravels, Clays, and Sands of tie Boulder formation. The
boulder formations of England, (called ‘“ Till” in Scotland,) of
the north of Europe and America, and also that in the opposite he-
misphere, are— 1st, characterized, principally, by their generally unstra-
tified character ; 2nd, by imbedding both large and small, angular
and rounded fragments of rocks of all ages in juxta-position, con-
fusedly jumbled together without reference to the laws of gravitation
1845. ] Diluvial and Wave Translation Theories. 243
or aqueous deposition, which are often reversed in the boulder gravels
and the heaviest fragments found uppermost ; 3rdly, the great rarity
of fossils. A few marine shells of an arctic character and the remains
of a mammoth have been found in the é// of Ayrshire; arctic’ marine
shells in that of North America; and I have observed marine shells
of recent species in that of Cheshire.
The boulder formation, in short, consists of usually unstratified
accumulations of clay, loam, silt, sand or gravel, often 100 feet thick,
imbedding sometimes great fragments of rock several yards in diame-
ter, torn in many instances from rocks, hundreds of miles distant,
separated by vallies, rivers, and even seas, as is the case in the drift
on the east coast of England, which imbeds granite blocks from the
mountains of Scandinavia. These deposits are sometimes capped by
stratified layers of sand and gravel, and occasionally contain marks
of stratification themselves.
The observer having, by these marks, ascertained that he has a
boulder deposit before him, should note its general shape, direction
and dimensions. If it occurs in detached truncated mounds, or
tumuli like the terminal moraine of a glacier? or like lateral moraines,
in longitudinal ridges with a double talus? the continuity and pa-
rallelism at the same height which is supposed to distinguish the
lateral moraine of a glacier, from the debris disposed along the bottoms
of the vallies by currents ? The thickness and extent of the gravel,
sand, clay or loam composing the deposit, should also be noted; the
nature of the beds it rests upon, and also of those above it; of all
which specimens should be sent, as well as of the curious pebbles,
sands, clays, &c. of the boulder deposit. It also should be noted whether
the stratified portions of the boulder clays or gravels be bent up or
contorted, as if by lateral pressure ; and whether the subjacent beds
have been conformably or similarly disturbed.
The relative proportions of the pebbles of various sorts of rocks com-
posing the gravel, their relative size, degree of attrition or roundness,
should be ascertained ; and the different sites whence originally wash-
ed, searched for in the vicinity.
The gravel, clays, mud and loam should be examined for fossils ;
and the condition of the latter, whether broken, water-worn or
entire, and in good preservation, noted.
2M
So
244 On the Alpine Glacier, Iceberg, [No. 159.
Furrows, striated and polished surfaces. The sides and surfaces
of exposed planes, bosses, boulders, erratic blocks and masses of rock in
siti, should be examined for polishings, strie, or furrows, more par-
ticularly the surfaces of rocks which are protected by a covering of soil
or turf, which it will be necessary to remove for this purpose. It must
be noted whether the strie and furrows are parallel or otherwise ;
whether oblique or horizontal, and their general direction. If in a
valley, whether they run in the same direction as the valley, and di-
verge from it at the outlet. .
Whether they run in sight lines, with even, uniform polished sur-
aces, or are shallower or deeper, varying according to the different
degrees of hardness or softness of the different portions, and veins of
the rock, and whether their course is at all sinuous. ‘ Slickensides”
or the polished and striated surfaces of walls of fissured rocks and vaults
caused by their friction in dislocation, must not be confounded with
the marks of general or aqueous action.
The observer should endeavour on the spot to ascertain the possibili-
ty, or impossibility, by the supposition of present floods, rains, landslips,
or other causes now in existence, of explaining these depositions,
furrows, &c. ; and also of the circular, oval, and spoon-shaped cavities,
with smooth sides in rocks, termed rock-basins, which are often united
by shallow gutters. It should be ascertained whether they are or are
not within the reach of the highest inundations, or temporary petty cas-
cades caused by monsoon rains, the periodical risings and fallings of
rivers ; whether empty or containing sand, or pebble ; the nature of the
pebbles, the dimensions and shape of the cavities, and nature of the
surrounding ground.
Engineers, surveyors, and other servants of Government stationed
in districts, will have time to note on all these desiderata as affecting
their particular district ; but it will be sufficient for men who travel
rapidly from station to station, or on the line of march, to bear
in mind that the great points to ascertain are—whether the blocks
and gravel they see are composed of the adjacent and subjacent
rocks or not, their distance from their native beds; to send speci-
mens of all: and to see that the blocks and marks on the rocks are
above the influence of present water-courses, inundations, and
rains.
1845. ] Diluvial and Wave Translation Theories. 945
Since writing the above, I have perused Captain Herbert’s valuable
report on the Himmalayas, so properly rescued from oblivion, and so
handsomely presented to the subscribers to the Journal of the Asiatic
Society by Mr. Torrens, and find that the author notices deposits of un-
stratified gravel and sand, including boulders some of three feet in dia-
meter, occurring in these vallies; and also along their base in a vast
accumulation 192 miles long, nearly 10 broad, and sometimes up-
wards of 150 feet thick, and which, from being inexplicable by the
supposition of existing floods and streams, he calls diluvium.
From his description, it seems to me probable, that some of these
deposits and their attendant phenomena have been caused by the
action of glaciers and debacles, the result of their melting.
The whole of them, and the TZals or lakes upon them, are well
worth separate and extended investigation ; and diligent search should
be made on the rocks of the sides, surfaces, and outlets of the vallies,
for the other supposed marks of glacial action just enumerated, and
of which Captain Herbert has given us no information.
Among other promising localities may be enumerated the great
transverse Doons, or vomitories of drainage, through which flow the
Ganges, Sutlej and Jumna, the Ramgunga and the Gaggur, from their
bases of glaciers ; the mouths and sides of the glens opening into
them ; the vallies of the Burral and Dhaolee, and of the Pubbur
near Massooleea.
The immense bed of gravel and masses of rock called the Bhabur,
which stretches along the base of the mountains, succeeded at its southern
base by the remarkable terrace called the Te77a:, both cut transversely
through by present river channels; and the level-surfaced gravel
and sand deposits locally termed Khadi7s, through which many of the |
streams run, may be particularly pointed out as subjects for detailed
information. Some of the mountain-streams are engulfed, according
to Captain Herbert, in the gravels of the Bhabur ; but probably re-
appear in the line of springs visible at its junction with the step of the
Yerrat which, from its striking moistness compared with the dry
absorbent surface of the Bhabur, is probably a bed of some impervious
substance, such as clay.*
* See Mr. Batten’s valuable observations on the Terrai of Rohilcund and Kemaon,
Journal, Vol. XIII, p. 887,
ce
246 On the Alpine Glacier, §c. Theories. [No. 159.
Outside of this so-called tract of diluvium, Captain Herbert men-
tions a red earthy marl, with patches of sand and a blue clay, the
relations of which with the unstratified gravels should be minutely
described, and every search made in them for fossils. The black and
blue clays may possibly bear some affinity to the vegu7 in mineral
composition.
I have not been able to consult Professor Royle’s admirable work
on the Himmalaya, or Dr. M’Clelland’s valuable geological observa-
tions, in the remote part of India where I now write; but cannot
conclude this list of Desiderata without strongly recommending their
perusal to the observer travelling through or located in the accreted
districts of which they treat.
ad Df Spyognay” sdv 1D O2 SULBALDIGT
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JOURNAL
OF THR
ASIATIC SOCIETY.
Description of CaproLaGcus, a new Genus of Leporine Mammalia.
By HE. Buyta, Curator of the Asiatic Society’s Museum.— With two
plates.
In the ‘ Bengal Sporting Magazine,’ for August 1843, p. 131, Mr.
Pearson has described an animal by the name Lepus hispidus, which
I have long been very desirous of examining, and have sought to pro-
cure by every opportunity that has offered ; and the Society has at
length been favored with a fine specimen of it by our esteemed corres-
pondent and contributor, Major Jenkins, Political Agent in Assam,
to whose kind exertions in procuring this and other desiderata for
the Museum, our thanks cannot be too often repeated.
As I fully expected, this animal has proved to be not satisfactorily
admissible into Lepus, as the limits of generic divisions are now cur-
rently accepted ; but must be regarded as a third generic type of the
Leporina, Waterhouse; or rather, it is a very strongly marked modi-
fication of the Lepus subtype, and not so distinct a form (equivalent
to Lepus,) as is that of Lagomys. In all its more essential characters
it is akin to Lepus, but exhibiting very considerable modification in
the various details of its structure. The head is large, the eyes small,
the whiskers slight and inconspicuous; the ears are comparatively very
short ; tail the same; limbs small, and much less unequal than in
Lepus ; and the claws are particularly strong, straight, and very sharp-
pointed, being obviously of important use in the creature’s economy :
' lastly, the fur is very remarkable for an animal of the Leporine group,
on account of its harshness, which is well expressed by the specific
appellation hispidus.
No. 160. No. 76, New Serirs. 2N
eee ae
2 Ee Bey
248 Description of Caprolagus, LNo. 160.
The skull is much more solid and strong than in any Lepus, with
every modification that should contribute to increased strength, but
upon the same subtypical model of conformation ; dentition also simi-
lar, but the grinders broader and more powerful, and the incisors and
rodential tusks proportionally much larger: the palatal foramina are
reduced so that the bony palate is as long as broad ; the ant-orbital
foramina are nearly closed by obliquely transverse bony spiculz, cor-
responding to the open bony network observable in Lepus ; the nasal
bones are broad, with an evenly arched transverse section, and are
less elongated backward than in the true Hares,—the maxillaries and
intermaxillaries corresponding in their greater width and solidity ;
zygoma also fully twice as strong as in Lepus; the super-orbital pro-
cesses continued forward uninterruptedly, the anterior emargination
seen in the Hares being quite filled up with bone, while the posterior
is also much less deep : the ensemble of these distinctions is, however,
far better expressed by the pencil than by the pen, and the reader is
accordingly referred to the accompanying figures of the skull of this
animal, in different aspects of view.
What little is known of its essential anatomy is, as might be expect-
ed, identical, or nearly so, with that of typical Lepus. Mr. Pearson
notices that ‘‘ the mammee are from six to ten ; ccecum very large, ap-
parently almost like a second stomach: womb double.”
The length of the Society’s specimen as mounted, and as represent-
ed in the annexed figure, is, in a straight line from nose to tail-tip,
fifteen inches and a half; ears posteriorly two inches; tail with hair
scarcely one and a half ; tarsus to end of claws three and three-quar-
ters; entire length of skull the same: fur of two kinds, that next the
body short, delicately soft and-downy, and of an ashy hue ; the longer
and outer fur harsh and hispid, and consisting partly of hairs annu-
Jated with black and yellowish-brown, and partly of longer black hairs,
all the black having rather a bright gloss: lower parts paler or dingy
whitish: toes somewhat yellowish-white: fur of the tail rufescent
above and below, except near its base underneath, and not of the same
harsh texture as the body fur.
Mr. Pearson, in his original description of this species, remarks as
follows : ‘From the notes of Mr. C. D. Russell, who sent the stuffed
Jecalves (PEARSON) BLYTH.
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1845.) a new Genus of Leporine Mammalia. 249
skin from which the description has been drawn up, I learn that the
animal was killed on the right bank of the river Teestah, close under
the saul forest, and about six miles north of Jelpee Goree. In this
place they are said to be very scarce, not above four having been seen
by Mr. Russell’s party during ten days, though game of all other
kinds was met with in great plenty; and the following year the same
party killed only one. But towards the hills, as Mr, Russell was told
by the natives of that part of the country, they may be met with in
greater abundance. Of the habits of this animal little is known. Mr.
Russell states, that ‘its flesh is white, and eats very much the same as
that of the Rabbit’; and from the circumstance of his never having
succeeded in putting one up a second time, he is almost certain that
it burrows. It is called by the natives of the country, where it was
met with, by the same name that they give to the Hare.”
Mr. R. W. G. Frith, upon examining the Society’s specimen, be-
lieves it to be the same animal as has been very often described to him
by sportsmen, who have on several occasions been shooting in the ex-
tensive sal jungle in the district of Mymunsing, called the Muddapore
jungle, on the western or right bank of the Burrampooter river; but
he never chanced to meet with it himself, though he long ago called
my attention to the existence of such an animal in that part.
It is included in Messrs. McClelland and Horsfield’s list of the
Mammalia of Assam, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1839, p. 152, but with the
statement that the ears are “‘ very short, not projecting beyond the
fur,” which is either a mistake, or another species is alluded to;
though I believe the former to be the truth: Mr. McClelland remarking,
“* T am indebted to Lieut. Vetch of Assam for the skin of this animal,
but unfortunately the skull is wanting. According to Mr. Pearson,
however, it is the same as the skull of the common Hare. It inhabits
Assam, especially the northern parts of the valley along the Bootan
Mountains.” The differences of the skull from that of any Lepus
have been already adverted to.
I propose that it should bear the generic name Caprolagus, and be
accordingly styled C. hispidus, (Pearson, ) nobis.
250
Report by Lieut. BE. J. T. Darron, Junior Assistant Commissioner of
Assam, of his visit to the Hills in the neighbourhood of the Soobanshiri
River. From the Political Secretariat of the Government of India.
With a map.
Pathalipam Mouzah, January 6th, 1845.—Reached this yesterday
evening from Luckimpore station, preparatory to setting out on a short
excursion up the Soobanshiri as far as I can go in canoes, and thence
to the nearest Meri villages by land. My object being to pay Tema
Hazaree a friendly visit, and to ascertain if it be practicable to make a
more extended tour through the country of the Hill Meris and Abors
next cold season.
This day will be consumed in making the necessary arrangements—
to-morrow I hope to start.
January 7th.—On the Soobanshiri. With quite a fleet of canoes, I
started from the Pathalipam Ghaut at 11 a. m., and considering the
difficulty of procuring boats and the number of people to be provided
for, there was less trouble, confusion and delay than might have been
anticipated.
Including my own boat there are eleven canoes, thirty-two boatmen,
and with servants, Tecklas, Katokees and Meri Bhoteas, a guard of
five sepoys; not less than seventy individuals, all packed as tight as her-
rings in a barrel. The canoes are moved by gold-washers who, from
constant practice in their gold-washing expeditions, are masters of the
art of managing boats in the difficult rapids of this river. Indeed I
am told that no other men could venture to work up in canoes to Sip-
loo Ghaut, whence we are to proceed by land. The canoes are very
small, and, except a light mat over my boat, no choppers allowed.
Amongst these gold-washers are the Pawwas men, whose business
it is to convey the Hill Meris and their families who annually visit the
plains by this route from Siploo Ghaut to a Ghaut about six miles
above Pathalipam. These men, six in number, being most expert of all,
act as our steersmen.
They use paddles of ‘ Hingoree,’’ short and stiff in comparison
with the long elastic ‘‘ Bhola” paddles of the Suddiah and Debroo
Thooms. They work the boat however exceedingly well; and no doubt
in the pattern and material of their paddles, they have adopted what
experience has taught them to be most serviceable for the rapids of this
river, In the shallows I see they chiefly work with the luggee poles.
1845.] Visit to the Hills near the Soobanshiri River. 951
‘There is a rapid, but a slight one, immediately above Pathalipam ; and
from this to the Hills the river is divided by wooded islands into nu-
merous channels : two of these islands are partly occupied by Chuttiah
Meris, and they are moreover a fruitful source of quarrelling among the
gold-washers. On one of them, called ‘ Indoor” Majali, they brought
to our canoes, and commenced making preparations for halting there.
I protested against this, as it was not 4 o'clock; but they asserted very
positively, that there was no ground on ahead fit for encamping on that
_ we could possibly reach that night, and as I liked the appearance of the
place, a fine shelving beach of sand and gravel, I gave my consent.
They waited till my cook had arranged his temporary kitchen and
the dinner was in course of preparation, and then their object of halting
on this island was made manifest. A number of gold-washers from
the Bor Dolonee Mouzah, on the left bank of the river, were washing a
little above the halting place. ‘The Pathalipam gold-washers considered
the ground theirs, and wished me to serve the intruders with a summary
ejectment. The left bank people as stoutly asserted that they were on
their own ground, and it was by no means an easy dispute to decide.
It depended on which of the channels is the main channel of the river,
but the river takes to them all in turn about.
January 8th. ‘Started after all had breakfasted at 8 a. m. The back
ranges of the mountains are disappearing one after the other behind
the upstart lower hills. The rapids numerous, but not difficult.
The Sonaris have boat songs, or professional melodies of their own:
when wading and hauling the canoes up the rapids they sing a sort of
“‘cheerly boys,” the chorus of which is ‘‘ Yoho Ram,” and which heard
above the roar of the waters has a good effect. In hollowing out these
canoes the carpenters make in them holes of about an inch square to
ascertain the thickness as they proceed. These holes are afterwards
plugged. In my boat being driven in from above they protruded below,
and two of them were at the same moment unshipped as we bumped on
the stone of a rapid. The boat commenced rapidly filling, but we got
her on shore and the baggage all removed, before any serious damage
was done. I mention this as a warning to others. One minute’s delay
and the boat would have sunk; we were fortunately near shore, had
surmounted the rapid, and the crews of the other boats all at hand in a
moment to assist.
:
252 Visit to the Hills near the Soobanshiri River. (No. 160.
Digression up the bed of a small stream called the Doolooni, to see
the Raj Ghur. This Doolooni was one of the gold streams ; but last
year its bed of shingle was covered with fine sand which the gold-wash-
ers can make nothifg of, and they have abandoned it. It forms also
one of the passes by which the Turbotiah Meris descend, the Dirjoo
flowing through Sugal-doobey, which forms the other starting from near
the same point in the hills. The Raj Ghur we found about a mile from
its mouth. I have seen this Ghur at Goomeri, where it crosses the Booree
river, and there it still bears the appearance of having been constructed
as a rampart against the inroads of the hill people; but here it has
more the appearance of an old road. It is however a stupendous work,
and great is the pity that it is too far north of our population to be
used as a line of communication. Previous to the Moran or Muttock
wars, the villages of Luckimpore are said to have extended up to this
Raj Ghur, and there is every appearance even now of such having been
at some period the case. At the mouth of the Doolooni the Sooban-
shiri expands with a fine broad, deep and smooth basin, which it enters
by three channels formed by two islands, where the stream again meets ;
above them it emerges from the hills, and here we halt for the night ;
our encamping ground is in the dry bed of the Bergoga.
January 9th. Our last night’s bivouac was not a comfortable one, A
stiff breeze blowing down the bed of the Bergoga, was met by another
coming down the valley of the Soobanshiri, and they enjoyed themselves
together at our expence, blowing the sand into the people’s dinners, and
the smoke into our eyes, and knocking the canoes against the stones. But
we are now fairly amongst the hills, and truly the scenery is sublime.
Beneath these hills, the great river winds in graceful serpentines. ‘The
basis forming the cliffs are rocky and precipitous to a considerable
height, along which foliage of various hues and a most vernal and velvety
appearance waves in the breeze, The stream is about 250 yards in
breadth, but of a depth (sounded several places on returning and found
between sixty and seventy feet in depth throughout this glen) unfathom-
able by any means we have at hand. There the rock of storms (the Bo-
tahkowa hill) stands boldly out from the mass on a bed of huge boulders
screening the mouth of a deep, dark, narrow dell, the winding of which I
explored for a little way—a way, where the sun’s rays never penetrate ;
sometimes huge Bon-trees springing from the rocks above stretch their
1845.) Visit to the Hills near the Soobanshiri River. 253
sinewy limbs over the deep waters, which reflect them ; and the fibres
that descend from them, finding no earth below in which to fix them-
selves, swing in the breeze.
As we advance the river becomes still narrower, but not less deep or
smooth. Gockain Potana, a rock not less than 800 feet in height, rises
perpendicularly from the stream. The face is almost smooth to the top
which is clad with trees; on the opposite side a similar cliff, but not so
high: on the summit of the former a god killed a deer; and, walking
(clever fellow) down the face of the smooth rock with his quarry over
the shoulder, he ascended with it the opposing cliff, unde nomen. From
above, the rock called the Gockain Potana looks like a huge church-_
steeple rising from the stream. . We stopped for sometime at a place
called Pabo Ghaut to collect cane to be used in towing the canoes up the
rapids on ahead. The Ghaut is so called from its having been some
50 years ago the watering place ofa tribe of Meris called Pabon. One of
the young men of this tribe stole from her village a young virgin of
Tema’s tribe, then under the management of his father Temees. For
this offence the insulted Temeeans waged a war of extermination against
the Pabo tribe. The villages of the latter were attacked by night when
the inhabitants slept, and men, women and children were promiscuously
slaughtered or carried away, and sold into hopeless captivity amongst the
Abors. The tribe, consisting of two large villages, were utterly extin-
guished. Not far from this we halted for the night, on the right base of
the river, at the mouth of a beautiful stream called the Gaien Panee,
issuing from a dark glen and dashing down the rocks into the well-
bound channel through which the Soobanshiri noiselessly flows. Notwith-
standing the absence of large timber which appears to grow only near
and on the summits of these precipitous hills, the verdure of this val-
ley is very beautiful: the rocks themselves are frequently covered with
moss and ferns of the brightest emerald green ; whilst springing from the
soil above them bamboos of a peculiarly light and feathery appearance,
the shafts not thicker than the most delicate trout rod, curve and waive
in the slightest breeze. The pine-apple tree, the drooping leaves of
which are found upwards of sixteen cubits in length ; the Toka palm,
varieties of cane and the mountain plantain, are all characteristic of this
scenery, and blend together in luxuriant mass.
—
;
’
254 Visit to the Hills near the Soobanshiri River. [No. 160.
10th. Early this morning we emerged from this great glen, and
found the first of the great rapids at its mouth. The canoes were safe-
ly pulled up with the long cane ropes we had provided; above this rapid
the stream widens, the valley expands, and more distant mountains ap-
pear in sight. Huge blocks of rock obstructing the river in its descent
render the navigation more and more difficult. We were obliged to
lighten our boats, and for some distance the baggage was all conveyed
by land, whilst the canoes were dragged through fields of hissing foam,
or over rocks nearly dry ; after surmounting several such rapids we
reached Siploo Mookh whence we are to proceed by land.
Luckimpore, February 11th, 1845.
February 21st.
My pear Masor,—This being a holiday, I shall devote it to giving
you some further account of my late excursion.
I wrote you a few lines from Siploo Mookh, detailing briefly my pro-
ceedings up to the date of my letter. On the 15th January all the
headmen of Tema’s tribe made their appearance, together with the ladies
of Tema’s family, who came expressly to welcome me—his two wives
and daughter. I held an assembly, and particularly explained to the
chiefs that if they had the smallest objection to my proceeding further
I was ready to return ; but they all assured me that such a proceeding
would cause them great pain. They would be delighted to shew me
all the lions of their country ; but only begged, that as the small-pox was
raging in the Pathalipam village, I would leave behind me all the Patha-
lipam men. This I readily consented to do, provided they procured me
a sufficiency of Mericoolies. Affairs having been so far amicably arranged,
a distribution of salt and rum concluded the conference ; and the Gaums
in high good humour disported themselves before me, shewing their agility
in racing over the rocks, and their prowess in throwing stones across the
river : mean time I gave the ladies who had come to greet me some gay
colored cotton cloths ; and here, alas, was cause for jealousy. The other
Gaums would know why Tema’s family alone should be thus favored ; but
I told them that when their wives and daughters came to greet me (as
Tema’s had done) and were neglected, they might take umbrage at my
1845.] Visit to the Hills near the Soobanshiri River. 255
partiality, but not now ; and with this they appeared satisfied. Late at
night Tema and one of the Torbottiah Gaums again visited me. ‘They
said a sufficient number of coolies would by morning be collected, but
they expected to be paid for the trip; considering the friendly nature of
my visit, and the honor thus done them, they (the Gaums) were ashamed
to ask me to pay the people for conveying the baggage, but they had
no power to give men without such payment being made; and they
therefore wished, if agreeable to me, to be allowed to defray the cooly
expences between them. Of course I declined this offer, though I was
not a little pleased at its having been made, evincing as it did a genuine
good feeling towards me. The rate was to be one seer of salt, or four
annas, for the trip for each cooly, which the Gaums assured me was
what they paid when, in bringing, as they yearly do, various commodities
from the plains, they are necessitated to avail themselves of extra
hands. Those who call themselves Gaums have no authority in their
hills, but that of the rich over the poor. After the above noticed trait
of liberality on Tema’s part, and of the independence of the Hill Meris in
general, I was not a little amused next morning when the Meri coolies,
male and female, were receiving beforehand their seer of salt, to ob-
serve amongst the applicants for a load anda douceur, Tema’s second wife
and his eldest daughter, both fine young women ; but the latter much dis-
figured by small-pox. The loads were light, not more than twenty seers ;
but boys and girls, men and women, were all paid the same rate. - Con-
sidering all these arrangements had to be made, and that the greater
part of the coolies had only arrived in the morning, I thought myself
lucky by getting off by 103 a.m. For the first two miles we pro-
ceeded along the left bank of the Siploo flowing from N. W.,, then turn-
ing north ascended a very steep hill; sometimes almost creeping under
jungle so dense, that nothing could be seen beyond what was a few
yards to our right and left : the path was less difficult than I had been
led to suppose it, but is sometimes zigzagged up or wound round preci-
pices in an awkward manner for nervous people. Tema was my con-
stant companion, always prepared to give me a friendly hand if neces-
sary. He seemed at first to be under great anxiety on my account ; but
finding me more active than he expected, he appeared more at ease,
Of the various timber trees and underwood, you know I am incapable of
giving any account ; the most remarkable of the former were Seea trees, a
20
256 Visit to the Hills near the Soobanshiri River. (No. 160.
seed of which you returned me split open, the wood is hard, close-grained,
and finely colored as the Nahore ; the Assamese call it the Seea Nahore,
and the fruit contains a poison with which the Meris kill fish. Great
varieties of bamboos and cane. The Meris thatch their houses with the
leaves of a species of the latter called Tor, the pine-apple tree, and the
fern.
We passed several squirrel traps of an ingenious and simple construc-
tion, On an overhanging branch a seed (chesnut) of which the squir-
rels are fond is placed, and bound to the branch by a double band of
cane ; the squirrel cannot get at the seed without putting his head
through a noose of the cane, and on his disengaging the bait the stone
drops and tightens the noose round the squirrel’s neck: they eat
the flesh of this animal as a great delicacy. As we ascended this hill,
the hill people frequently gave us lowlanders a warning to be careful
not to loosen a stone from its bed. This was very necessary, people
are apt to kick away stones on a hill that are easily dislodged ; and had
this been done on the present occasion, they must have fallen on or
bounded near those coming up the winding path below us. Having
descended a valley in which there was water, we commenced the ascent
of another and loftier mountain called Teepooka. On this hill there
are magnificent Nalok trees of enormous dimensions ; descending again
we came to a rocky stream called the Tiks, up the bed of which our
path now lay, and this was to me the most difficult part of the road.
The current was strong, and the rocks slippery as glass. It was diffi-
cult for me to maintain my footing, and as I proceeded along slowly and
cautiously, the Meri girls with their loads came up and laughingly passed
me, bounding with astonishing activity and sure-footedness from rock
to rock. This stream takes its rise in the Moyur mountain, over which
our path now lay ; and learning that we should not see water again till
evening I halted for stragglers, and when all had come up it was too
late to think of attempting to proceed further, Crossing the stream
accordingly, we formed our bivouae for the night. ‘Tema endeavoured
to persuade his people to assist in clearing a space for me, and to cut and
bring wood and materials for a temporary hut; they treated his orders
with the utmost contempt: upon my applying to them in a more persua-
sive strain, they bargained that I should shew them some fun with my
euns, and in this way I got them to do all I wanted. We started next
1845.} - Vist to the Hills near the Soobanshirt River. 257
morning at 8 a. m., and commenced a toilsome ascent of the Moyur
mountain, the summit of which we did not reach till 11 o’clock; the
ascent was very severe in many places, the natural ladders afforded by the
roots of the trees alone rendered it practicable; near the summit it was
less precipitous, and here were the timber trees and Seeas, wild mangoes,
chesnuts and oaks, the seeds of all which I have sent you; but unfor-
tunately the acorns were all dead. From the top of the Moyur no
view was obtained ; descending occasional openings gave us glimpses of
new mountains, for we were now on the north side of the great range
seen from Luckimpore, but no extended view; the path less difficult, but
occasionally presenting but a mere ledge over a precipice, and danger-
ously slippery from decayed leaves. We descended about one-third of
the distance we had ascended, and then crossed over several smaller hills,
the northern outworks of the Moyur. In one place a large tree had
fallen across a chasm deep and dark, and was used asa bridge. It was
slippery as glass, and even the Meris passed over very slowly and cauti-
ously ; I did not like it much, but Tema gave me a hand, and I got safe
across. We now came to hills that had been cleared for cultivation, and
other symptoms of a near approach to human habitations; not that the
road was better, it continued just as before, but here Myttons had been
grazing, and they do not stray far from their villages. Several times we
passed what appeared to be a well cleared path, but I was told that they
led to where spring bows had been set to kill wild animals, and the
clearance was made to warn human beings not to go that way. De-
pending much upon such stratagems for a supply of animal food, they
have various ingenious methods of taking or killing wild beasts. A
deer trap is constructed by running a light palisading between two pre-
cipices or other obstacles, in the centre of which the trap is placed.
It appears to offer an exit to the unwary animal, whose course has
been obstructed by the palisading, and through it he attempts to
rush, when the top composed of logs of wood bound together drops on
and crushes him. Bina Meris village was now before us, and drawn up
on the side of the road a deputation of the Sonrok Meris (the Bor Dolonee
Meris) awaited my approach. These Sonroks I had hitherto regarded
as not near so well affected to us as the Temas and the Torbottiah
tribes, and I had been informed by Tema that they were very irate with
him for having encouraged this excursion of mine. I was by no means
258 Visit to the Hills near the Soobanshiri River. [_No. 160.
anxious to meet them, and had not invited them to an interview : but here
they were, and I could not decline it; so putting a bold face on the matter,
I took a seat under a tree and gave them an audience. After having
explained my object in visiting these hills, and thanked them for their
civility in coming to meet me; very much to my surprise, instead of any
objections being raised, they gave me a most cordial and pressing invita-
tion to proceed to their villages too, saying as I had come as a friend to
visit Tema, it was not fair that the honor should be conferred on him
alone; they too were most anxious to entertain me, and would gladly
provide every thing necessary. One of their villages, that in which the
principal Gaum resides, was an easy march from where we stood.
They did all they could to induce me to go, overruling all my objections
as started. I had only supplies for three days,—they would provide
every thing. At last I said it would be improper for me to go to their
village without bringing with me some presents to bestow on their
wives and daughters to cause them to remember my visit. That of
the few things I had brought of this description, had been disposed
of, or were bespoke, and were I now to go empty-handed to visit them,
they would all say that I had bestowed many marks of favor ‘on
Tema’s people and to them had given nothing. I therefore could not
now go; but if all turned out well, and they behaved themselves pro-
perly on their next visit to the plains, they should receive a visit from
me at another season intended for them, as my present visit was for
Tema.. With this they appeared satisfied, and only further begged that
I would excuse the old Gaum coming to meet me in another Gaum’s
village, which would be derogatory to his dignity, and allow him instead
to pay his respects at Siploo Mookh, or on the road down. This was
so ruled, and thus quietly ended the conference with the ferocious
Sonroks. Bini Gaum’s village which we now entered, is situated on
one of the low hills under the Moyur mountain; the houses are
long, and raised considerably on posts of cleft timber, indiscriminately
constructed on the top or-side of the hill, but the level of the floor-
ing is tolerably. well preserved by varying the height of the sup-
porting posts. It contains only ten dwelling houses; but as each
house holds an entire family, including brothers and their wives, and
married sons and their children, each may on an average contain about
twenty individuals. The situation of the village is very beautiful. The
1845.) Visit to the Hills near the Soobanshiri River. 259
low hills around,—some partly cleared for the purposes of cultivation,
some entirely so, and now covered with the straw of the crop last
reaped,—appear in fine contrast with the dark tints of the lofty moun-
tains of Moyur and Yaloo, and others more distant that surround it.
The inhabitants, men, women and children, far from evincing any signs
of fear, crowded about me as I passed through the village. The road
from this to Tema’s village, which is about two miles distant and north-
west of this village, continues over low hills, many of which have been
cleared and are now fallow, and after a time will be again taken up.
‘Between the villages barricades are constructed in different places to
keep the Myttons from the cultivation when necessary. We followed
the windings of a stream called the Kutoo, and were led by it into a
pretty little valley comprising a level space of cleared ground of some
extent, watered by the Versing river which winds round the hill on
which Tema’s village is built, and here we encamped ; Tema’s village
within hail above us to the S. E., the river flowing from the N. W.
Here were assembled to meet me, besides the notables of the three
villages of Tema’s, or the Pambottiah tribe, all the headmen of the
Torbottiah dewar. ‘They* seemed to wonder much at my visit. What
could it portend? and to be in some alarm; but this soon wore off.
They describe their country as much better worth seeing than this.
The villages are larger, more numerous, and nearer to each other than
those of this dewar; the nearest a day’s march from this, about twelve
miles in a direction north by west. The villages are six in number,
and within hail of each other, on hills as Tema’s and Bina’s, and the
houses similarly fashioned; their cultivation is more extensive, the
crops fewer, and more varied. They have asso, dhan, and hali; but
the latter is not planted out. They sow the seed as we sow peas.
They kept me talking till dinner time, and then all retired with
Tema, who had a grand feast, not less than eighty individuals were
entertained by him; all that came to see me were invited, and I am
told his house was crammed: nor were we neglected, a fine fat kid
and fowls and eggs, yams and sweet potatoes and Indian corn were
supplied. Tema asked me if I would drink mAud, the spirit they distil ;
but this I declined, or doubtless a large supply would have been sent.
* The Torbottiahs.
260 Visit to the Hills near the Soobanshirit River. (No. 160.
Next morning I proceeded to the village, and found them all busily en-
gaged in divination as to whether my visit was to bring them good or
evil. I was told that the auspices were favorable. A man sat apart
from the rest holding in both hands a puny chicken, and invoking all the
spirits of the woods byname. ‘Those deities who delighted in the blood of
Myttons, and those who rejoiced in the slaughter of pigs; those who
were propitiated by the sacrifice of fowls, or those who were content
with a vegetable offering, all are on such occasions invoked ; and after the
Chout is terminated, the chicken is cut open and the entrails examined,
from which they augur good or evil. Often as this ‘‘auspicium” to my
knowledge has failed them, they most pertinaciously adhere to the
practice ; and undertake no expedition, journey or work, without con-
sulting it. I was sketching, and when the ‘“ auspiciums” were being tak-
en, and when the ceremony was concluded, they sent to me to beg of
me to return to my hut to give audience. I desired for peace’ sake to
give it where I sat ; but the Torbottiahs who wished to pay their respects
in regular form, could not, they said, with propriety do so in Tema’s vil-
lage. However, previous to desceding I paid Tema’s house a visit, to
which he made no objections. The house is seventy feet long, raised on
timbers, some perpendicularly and some diagonally placed, in which is
laid a platform of bamboos fora flooring. The roof has gable-ends, and is
pitched very high; the thatch being composed of the leaves of a species
of cane as before mentioned. Under the gables a cross chopper covers
in an open balcony, one at each end. The interior consists of one
long apartment sixty feet by sixteen, from which a passage extending
the entire length is partitioned off. In the large apartment down the
centre no less than four fires were burning on hearths of earth. On
one side were ranged, with some appearance of order, their arms,
pouches, travelling apparatus, &c,; another portion of the apartment
was decorated with trophies of the chase. In the centre between the
fires frames of bamboos suspended from the roof served as tables,
on which various domestic utensils were deposited. I had hoped that the
passage which was partitioned off from this apartment contained the
dormitories of the family, but on examination it was found to be the
mhud cellar, In it were ranged conical baskets lined with plantain
leaves, in which the mhud is fermented, and received in vessels placed
underneath ; in the large apartment the whole family eat, drink and sleep.
1845.] Visit to the Hills near the Soobanshiri River. 261
Tema and his wives in the upper end or first fire, his sons and daugh-
ters round the next, other members of the family round the third, and
slaves and dependents round the fourth. Fearful of being pillaged by
the Abors, they do not venture to display much property in their houses.
The greater portion of it lies buried in some remote spot known only to
the heads of the family. Besides cattle, ornaments, arms and wearing
apparel, it consists of large dishes and cooking vessels of metal, and what
are called Dao Guat, such as little bells with various devices and inscrip-
tions, in what I fancy must be the Thibetan character ; but I know it not.
The Meris do not know where they come from; a few are occasionally
obtained in barter with the Abors, but the most of them have been
handed down as heir-looms in the family, and they are regarded as the
most valuable portion of their property. They are occasionally used as
money, and valued at from four annas to twelve rupees each, according
to shape, size and ornament. ‘Those with inscriptions inside and out
are most highly prized. Those without inscriptions are little valued.
These bells are common amongst the Dufflas, who can give no better
account as to how they became possessed of them. I am told the Butias
sell them, and if so you can perhaps tell me something of their origin.
The Meris tell the same story if asked where they get their fine blue
beads, 7. e. that they are heir-looms ; very seldom, they say, are they now
procurable in barter or exchange, though some few are occasionally
procured from the Abors.
It is not impossible that numbers of these bells and beads thus
handed down as heir-looms may have been brought with them from the
country from which they originally emigrated. Regarding their mi-
erations they have no traditions. They believe, and they are not sin-
gular in the belief, that many orders and races of men were created,
whom the Creator allotted to dwell where soil and situation were best
adapted to the constitution and habits he had given to each ; and thus
that the Meris were created for, and have ever dwelt in these hills.
Their religious ideas are very vague. They believe in a future state,
and have an indefinite idea of a spirit who presides in the regions of
departed souls, as is shewn in their mode of disposing of their dead.
The body is interred fully clothed and equipped with arms, travelling
pouch and cap, in a deep grave, and surrounded by strong timbers to
prevent the earth from pressing on it. Nor do they omit to supply
{
262 Visit to the Hills near the Soobanshiri River. (No. 160.
the departed for his long journey with food, cooking utensils, and orna-
ments of value, so that he may make a respectable appearance in the
other world. They attach great importance to their dead being thus
disposed of and buried near the graves of their ancestors. Ifa man of
any influence dies in the plains his body is immediately conveyed to
the hills to be so interred, should the disease of which he died not be
deemed contagious.
Marriage, although its violation is considered the direst of offences, is
with them a mere matter of barter or exchange. Young ladies are in
the first instance valued according to the wealth and respectability of
their parents. The price is such that few suitors are able to make it up
for several years after preliminaries have been arranged, and they pay it
accordingly by instalments. It consists, if the damsel be of high family,
of two or three Myttons, twenty or thirty pigs, fowls, mhud, and some-
times clothes. When the parents are content, or the stipulated amount
has been paid, they invite the suitor with his family and friends to come
for his bride, and he is entertained that day by the father of the lady.
On his return with his wife all the friends and relations accompany
him, and the bridegroom or his parents now in their turn have to feast
them and his own friends into the bargain for several successive
days. There is no further ceremony. The parties are now considered
man and wife; and woe be to him that seduces from her lord the wife
so wedded. The adulterer is seized and securely bound, detained under
most rigorous treatment for a day or two. If he be powerful his
friends come to his assistance, and make offers for his ransom, which
must be considerable to be accepted ; but the chances are, he is left to his
fate, and if such be the case he is put to death. The woman who has
committed the faux pas is less severely dealt with. A little wholesome
chastisement, and she is again admitted into the family circle. It must
not be omitted that when a marriage is concluded, the bridegroom ex-
pects to get fair value with his bride for his pigs, &c. that he has ex-
pended on her. If personally, or in default of an adequate trousseau
she be found wanting in this respect, there is a dinner, an assemblage
of the mutual friends, and the parents of the bride are made to disgorge
should it be so determined ; or should they refuse, their daughter is treat-
ed as a slave, and not as a member of the family : notwithstanding this,
a widow cannot leave her husband’s family and heirs to contract a fresh
1845. ] Visit to the Hills near the Soobanshini River. 263
marriage unless she can find the means of defraying all that was origi-
nally paid for her ; if she can do this and furnish a feast on the occasion,
there seems no objection to her making a second alliance. The costume
of the women is peculiar: a short petticoat extending from the loins
to the knees is secured to a broad belt of leather which is ornamented
with brass bosses, besides this they wear round their middles an infinite
number of rings made of filaments of bamboo embroidered with the
fibres of another plant. A band of similar material, from which a bit of
cloth is suspended in front, is bound tightly round the breast under the
arms. This is their travelling and working dress; but at other times
they wrap themselves in a large cloth doubled, brought over the shoul-
ders, and pinned in front like a shawl. They wear round their necks an
enormous quantity of beads, mostly of blue, like turquoise, but also of
agate, cornelians and onyx, and glass beads of all colors. They have
bracelets of silver or copper, and anklets of finely plaited cane or bam-
boo. Their hair is adjusted with neatness, parted in the centre and
hanging down their backs in two carefully plaited tails. In their ears
they wear most fantastic ornaments of silver, which it would be difficult
to describe; a simple spiral screw of this metal winding snakelike
round the extended lobe of the ear is not uncommon amongst unmar-
ried girls; but the ear ornaments of the matrons are much more com-
plex. They generally have very sweet countenances, though few could
be called handsome. The almond-shaped eye is common, but not uni-
versal ; mouths generally well formed ; and teeth, notwithstanding the free
use of tobacco, very fine and white ; their complexion what the natives of
India would call fair, but they have rosy cheeks and ruddy lips, which
is a decided improvement on the Assamese complexion ; they are very
stoutly built, generally short of stature, but to this there are remarkable
exceptions. The men have fine muscular figures ; many of them tall and
with good features, but the countenances of some are repulsive. The
variety of feature denotes an admixture of races, and no doubt many of
them have Assamese blood in their veins, but usually there is the high
cheek-bone and almond-shaped eye, lips rather thin, and face devoid of
hair except a few over each extremity of the mouth forming an apology
for a moustache. They gather the hair to the front, where it pro-
trudes out from the forehead in a large knob secured by a bodkin;
2P
264 Visit to the Hills near the Soobanshiri River. (No. 160.
round the head a band of small brass or copper knobs linked together
as tightly bound. In their ears they as well as the women wear a
variety of ornaments, but of a distinct kind. The lobe is distended so
as to hold a knob an inch in diameter. It is gradually enlarged by
the insertion of a roll of the leaf of the pine-apple tree. The chiefs wear
ornaments of silver, shaped like a wine-glass or egg cup ; young men do
not venture to attach so heavy a weight to the slight ligament, and
insert a hollow plug of silver instead. The males also wear a profu-
sion of the blue beads before mentioned, and others, all very large.
Their costume is simple enough—a band round their hips composed
of rings of bamboos, the same as worn by the women but not so numer-
ous; an apron attached thereto before and behind, and a cloth wrap-
ped round their body and pinned so as to resemble a shirt without
sleeves ; a cap of cane or bamboo work with turned-up peak, which how-
ever is worn behind, and over their shoulders as a cloak, which
also serves as a pouch or knapsack, they throw a covering made of the
black hairy fibres of a plant, which at a little distance resembles a
bear-skin, Their costume is not complete without placing on their heads
and over their caps a piece cut out of tiger or leopard-skin, the tail of
which hanging down their backs has a droll appearance! They are all
very filthy in their persons, many of them appear never to have had their
faces washed since their birth. As this was not their cultivating
season, and the crops had been reaped, it was chiefly from information
that I could note any thing on the subject. Each village has a certain
extent of ground, comprising hills, sides of hills and valleys, which they
have been in the habit of cultivating from time immemorial ; but not more
than a fifth of this ground is under cultivation each season. They cul-
tivate each patch two successive years, and then suffer it to be fal-
low for four or five, taking up again the ground that has been longest
fallow in lieu. They have a superstition, which deters them from break-
ing up fresh grounds so long as their “ Gra’ (fallow) is sufficient—a
dread of offending the spirits of the woods and forest by unnecessarily
cutting down the trees. In Tema’s village the chief crops are ‘‘ Bobesa”’
or bobsa dhan, the grain of which is large, pear-shaped; and goom
dhan, or maize. Many of the villages have aoosa and hali, resem-
bling that which is grown by the Assamese; but the cultivated
1845.] Visit to the Hills near the Soobanshiri River. 265
tracts appertaining to this village get too little sun for those crops.
The bobsa and goom dhan are sown in the same ground and at the
same time, and round the squares which contain these crops they plant
yams and other edible roots ; they have not got the potato, but it would
most likely grow well and be serviceable to them ; they sow red pepper,
which succeeds admirably. Tobacco is generally grown in patches
near the houses. The labour of cultivation and all labour falls chiefly
on the women. ‘They have few of them other implements than their
daws, which are used to clear, cut and dig with. The men consider it
sufficient to occupy themselves in hunting and attending to their vari-
ous snares and spring bows for wild animals, and when the season ar-
rives for the trade, in collecting manjeet, which is performed by both
sexes.
The manjeet grows in steep declivities, interlaced and entangled with
other shrubs, so that it is not easy speedily to collect a quantity, at
least all that I found of it was little; the leaf of the genuine kind is small,
narrow and pointed, and slightly suffused with a tinge of the colouring
matter. There is a bastard kind also found in great quantities, the
leaves of which are very much larger and the plant altogether coarser
in appearance ; it is called the female manjeet by the Meris, and though
similar in growth with the other, its flexible shoots contain scarcely any
colouring matter. Nevertheless, it is sometimes brought down mixed
with the finer. The Meris assured me that this fraud was not theirs,
but was practised upon them by the Abors. I recommended them for
their own sake to bring down none but the best, and they promised that
none other should leave their country. ‘They collect and tie it up in bun-
dles when fresh and flexible, then lay it on frames or hang it up to the eaves
of their houses to dry; when it becomes rather brittle, it is fit for ex-
portation. The Mytton is the only species of horned cattle possessed
by the Meris. It is rather a clumsy looking animal in make; but a
group of Myttons grazing on the steep rocky declivities they seem
to love, would be a noble study for Landseer ; some are milk-white, some
nearly black, some black and white, and some red and white. ‘To
the Meris they are only useful as food. On festive occasions one
is killed, and I should think the beef must be excellent; they feed
most delicately on young leaves, and keep in excellent condition. The
¥,
266 Visit to the Hills near the Soobanshiri River. (No. 160.
cows would, I have no doubt, give a large supply of milk; but the
Meris have not yet found this out. I asked them to procure some
for me, but received the usual answer, ‘‘ Meris don’t know how, not
our custom.” The females appear tame, and submit to be tethered;
the bulls rove their own masters, but do not wander far from the
tethered females, so are in a measure tethered too; just now they
all roam where they please, but when the crops are on the ground
a mountain or so is fenced round by strong timbers from tree to tree,
and into this enclosure they are driven, and remain till the harvest is
stored. They have pigs and poultry in plenty, and a few goats. I
suppose there are no people on the face of the earth, more utterly igno-
rant of every thing connected with the arts than are the Hill Meris.
With the sole exception of the bands and other articles of bamboo cane
and fibres above-mentioned, which the women are everlastingly making,
every thing they use is imported; were their communications directly
with the plains, and indirectly by means of the intervening tribes, with
the civilized countries on the other side of the great range cut off, the use
of metal and of women’s clothes would be lost to them. The Abors can
forge themselves daws, but the Meris know not the art. The most
distant tribes manufacture coarse cotton cloths; but though the Meris
are in constant communication with them, as well as with us, they
have not the remotest idea of weaving. They cannot journey two or
three days from their village, without having to cross a considerable
river. If it be not fordable, a rough raft of Kakoo bamboos is hastily
constructed for the occasion; but though constantly requiring them,
and annually using them, they have never yet attempted to construct
a canoe; this is the more strange, as the Abors of the Dabong push a
considerable trade in canoes cut in the rough. I suppose that until the
Meris discovered the fertile plains of Assam, which they were first led
to visit by having killed birds in whose bellies they found rice, and dis-
covered by proceeding in the direction of their flight, they were
mere savage hunters; the skins of beasts their only clothing, and the
flesh their chief, if not only food.
Could they be stimulated to a more industrious course of life, they
might considerably improve their commercial relations with us. The
great rivers that enter their country abound in gold grains; the process
Map Zo aecompany Hbors :: ag Re
Lieutt Daltor’s Report ae E , oo od
on the Meris and Abors —— Taudey Villages © Serota, 4 igor rs
of Assam f (
;
y ¥°
oe
«bers
) TVurboliah Mikes
} ae
4 mules loan Inde
1845.) Visit to the Hills near the Soobanshiri River. 267
of washing is simple, and the Meris have had for two centuries constant
opportunity of watching it in all its phases.
The last process of separating the gold from the remainder of the
sand or scoria, they might leave to the Assamese gold-washers ; but the
rough washing with the doorunnee and bottle gourd might be performed
by them, and a considerable quantity of gold introduced. The doorun-
nee, or tray, is very simple and easily made, and the gourds are obtained
from the Meris by the gold-washers. This would be a most lucrative
trade for them. By a little attention to the manjeet also, which they
are too lazy to give, its growth might I think be improved and its col-
lections facilitated, simply by the removal of other plants that choke it.
I have not much more to say; but I may send you another chapter* if
you are not tired of me and the Meris. But this letter has grown to such
a length, I fear you will be inclined to throw it into the fire without
reading it.
I have no doubt that there are sundry errors in this account; but I
cannot stop to correct them, for I feel sure if I were to read over what I
have written I should hesitate about sending it. I had not intended
sending you the journal up the river, it was copied to send home with
sketches ; but as you seem interested in the scenery of the Soobanshiri,
I have ventured to add it.
Yours very sincerely,
(Signed) E. T. Datton.
(True Copy,)
(Signed) F. JENKINS,
Agent to the Governor General.
(True Copies,)
J. CuRRIE,
Secretary to the Govt. of India.
* Trade with us and with Abors; position of villages ; rough estimate of population ;
Abors, Accas, not yet touched on. All these however might be included in a public
letter applying for leave to make a more extended excursion next year.
268
Notes, principally Geological, on the South Mahratta country—Falls
of Gokauk— Classification of Rocks. By Cart. Newsgoup, F.R.S.
&ec. Assistant Commissioner Kurnool.
The reader has already been introduced into the South Mahratta
country at its eastern angle near the confluence of the Kistnah
and the Gutpurba.* We will now proceed westerly across it, follow~
ing the right bank of the Gutpurba to the Falls of Gokauk on the
Eastern slope of the Western Ghauts, leaving the Kolapore territory
to the right.
I crossed the Kistnah about two and a half miles below the Sungum,
or confluence, and passed up the opposite bank towards the tongue of
land formed by the junction of the rivers. The apex consists of
silt, sand and clay, in regular layers, rising, as they recede, to the height
of about sixteen feet above the surface of the water.
A section of these layers was afforded in the sides of a deep cleft
running down to the Gutpurba. They present a striking illustration
of the formation of fissures in sedimentary rocks, simply by the mass
contracting in consolidation, unaided by subterranean movement or
displacement, which we are compelled to call in to our assistance in
explaining the great faults and displacements, attended with scorings of
the faces of the fissures, and the polishings termed ‘“ slickensides,” so
common in the coal measures, and other old sedimentary rocks of
Europe. Earthquakes, another cause of fissures, are unknown here.
The fissures in these layers of silt and clay are usually vertical, and
widest in the more consolidated layers ; their course is often zig-zag,
like that of the celebrated gap in the sandstone rocks of Gundicotta
through which flows the Pennaur; or, like the fissures in the Regur
deposit : during the hot months they frequently intersect each other.
Horizontal seams, independent of the parallel laminz of deposition,
have been formed, partially filled with a titaniferous iron sand, which
Owes its arrangement, and segregation in distinct layers partly to its
greater relative specific gravity, and partly to the motion of the water.
The truth of this is easily illustrated by the simple experiment
of mixing intimately some common quartzose sand with a portion of the
* See Journal, Vol, XIII. p. 1004,
1845. ] Notes on the South Mahratta Country, &c. 269
iron sand, and throwing them into a tumbler a quarter full of
water.
If the tumbler then be inclined to one side, and gently moved so as
to cause the water to move backwards and forwards over the surface of
the sand, the particles of quartz and iron gradually separate and become
arranged in distinct layers. |
The upper beds of the section are of loose silt and sand, the lower
layers are more consolidated, and towards the base of the cliff thin
layers of an indurated liver-brown marl alternate; both the silt and
marl effervesce slightly with acids. At the bottom of the fissure
runs a rain channel, which has washed the sides into salient and
re-entering angles. In some places they have been excavated and
undermined by it, and portions of the superincumbent layers have
fallen in. In short, we see on this diminutive, yet true scale, all the
striking features of precipice, ravine, pinnacle, and castellated form so
remarkable in the sandstone and limestone formations.
Tabular cavities appear in many portions of the cliff which have
neither been caused by snails, nor other boring conchifers. They have
originated from the stems of long grasses, around which layer after
layer of silt, &c. had been deposited until the stem decayed away, leaving
an empty cavity modified by the action of the rain trickling down it
into the substance of the rock.’ In many of these cavities the grasses
are still seen. The iron sand is slightly magnetic, infusible per se
before the blow-pipe ; and forming with difficulty a blackish slag ; it
tinges borax of a brownish green. It has probably been derived from
the neighbouring trap formation.
The Rivers Kistnah and Gutpurba. The Kistnah near the con-
fluence is apparently about 500 yards broad, and the Gutpurba about
100. The current of the former had a velocity of about two and a half
feet per second, and the latter about two and three-quarter feet.
The temperature of both rivers, one foot below the surface, was
exactly the same, viz. 76° 5’. Temperature of air in shade 76°; in sun
84°: month July, river swollen by the monsoon freshes. Mean tem-
perature of the South Mahratta country at Darwar, according to Christie,
is about 75°. As both rivers were nearly full, there was no opportunity
of examining the size and nature of the pebbles in the bed. On the banks
are scattered water-worn fragments of chert, quartz, granite, trap,
ee SP eo
270 Notes on the South Mahratta Country, &c. [No. 160.
felspar rock, hornblende schist, jasper, lateritic conglomerate, kunker,
ferruginous clay, greyish blue and sand-coloured limestone, sandstone,
and calcedony. None of the fragments that had been transported by the
current were more than three or four inches in diameter. |
A tumbler-full of the turbid water deposited about 1-20th of its
bulk of a fine sandy brown sediment, which effervesced with acids ;
very different, like those of the Bhima, Godavery, Tumbuddra and
Cauvery, from the regur, which, as before mentioned, is supposed by
some geologists to be a deposit of these rivers. The freshes of the
Kistnah do not, according to the testimony of the oldest boatmen,
ever overflow the banks more than half a mile; and its inundations at
Danoor, and other places where I have crossed it, rarely spread
to a greater extent. These facts argue strongly against the theory
of the fluviatile origin of the regur which is seen covering vast flat
plains like seas, which extend, 1 may say, hundreds of miles from the
banks of these great rivers. With regard to Christie's theory of
its being the detritus of trap rocks, I have before observed that
the iron contained in them oxidizes, becomes ultimately reddish
or coffee-coloured in weathering, and imparts its colour to the detritus ;
and that the alluvium we now see brought down by the Kistnah,
Bhima, and Godavery, which rise in and flow over the great trap
formation, is of a brown colour, very different from the bluish black
of the purest vegur. One of the richest and most extensive sheets of
regur in Southern India, is that of the Ceded Districts, which is watered
by the Tumbuddra, Pennaur, and Hogri rivers, the courses of which on
no point touch the trap formation, passing over plutonic and hypogene
rocks, sandstone and limestone. If the rich sheets of regur which cover
the plains of Trichinopoly, Artoni, and Cuddapah had been derived
from the great trap formation, one would naturally expect to find in it,
or associated with it, grains or fragments of calcedony, agate, jasper,
heliotrope, and other hard minerals so abundant in the overlying trap:
but there is no instance on record of such fragments having been found
in these regurs.
The regur is seen too, far above the present drainage levels of the
country. At Beder, as already observed, both Voysey and myself
found it on cliffs nearly 200 feet above the general level of the sur-
rounding country.
1845.] Notes on the South Mahratia Country, c. 271
The boiling point of water at the Sungum was 200.3. Temperature
of air at the time of observation 80°.
On the S. bank of the Gutpurba are some low hills running E. S. E.
The only one which was examined proved to be a breccia, overlying
the light blue and buff limestone, composed of a dark red or liver
brown clay, highly indurated, and passing into jasper imbedding an-
gular fragments of the siliceous portions of the subjacent limestone,
chert, quartz, &c. The angular fragments of chert are often so small
as to give this breccia the appearance of a porphyry, for which some por-
tions of the rock might at first sight be mistaken, and a bed of really
aqueous origin confounded with a plutonic rock—an error which has
happened.
Proceeding westerly from the limits of the hypogene schists, the
imbedded fragments in this breccia become larger, and the conglome-
rate character cannot be mistaken. It is evident, from the gradually
increasing size of the pebbles, that the rock whence they were derived
is neared as we advance west, and that the current which deposited
these beds of sand and pebbles must have had an easterly direction.
This inference proved correct; and the limestone was found zz
situ ata short distance west from the hills, on the S. bank of the
Gutpurba, in broken-up and dislocated strata; some of the lime-
stone slabs had been furrowed as if by the action of pebbles passing
along them in an east and west direction. Dark veins of chert projected
every where from the water-worn blocks and slabs of this limestone,"
many of which are thickly encrusted with depositions of a ferru-
ginous kunker which abounds. The limestone often abounds so much
in silex, and is so indurated as to give fire with steel, and hardly effer-
vesces with acids, save in a pulverized state. Marks of aqueous abrasion
and plutonic disturbance which preceded the formation of the breccia
are very apparent in this locality.
Sitadonga hills. A plain almost covered with regur extends from
these low hills of breccia to the Sitadonga range, which abutting on
and confining the Gutpurba on the north, run down to Badami and
Gujunderghur on the south. The hills at this point consist of sand-
stone and conglomerates, the latter usually the lowest in position, both
partially capped by a lateritic conglomerate which, in many places, has
evidently been stripped off by denudation. The conglomerates are
2Q
i TY AA Pe —a
272 Notes on the South Mahratta Country, &c. (No. 160.
often of a highly ferruginous and jaspideous character, and imbedding
fragments of chert, quartz, and shales from the limestone.
As these hills are ascended, the sandstone gradually loses its con-
glomerate character, passing into almost all the varieties it is suscep-
tible of, from yellow and reddish rock containing much argillaceous
matter, to a loose gritty sandstone with red and yellow bands, which
passes into a compact white sandstone, approaching quartz rock, con-
taining specks of oxide of iron, or decayed felspar, in minute cavities.
On the summit of the Pass was a fine whitish sandstone with reddish
streaks, composed of grains of quartz held together by whitish decom-
posed felspar.
On many of the slabs the ripple mark is distinct, running nearly N.
and §., which shows that the current must have had an easterly or
westerly course in this locality. At the western base of the Pass the
coloured argillaceous shales, into which the limestone usually passes
near the line of junction with the superimposed limestone, have been
invaded and cut by a dyke of basaltic greenstone, and converted into
reddish, greenish, and brown coloured jasper and bluish white chert
in alternating layers; each line of which presents the original lines of
deposition. Two other dykes, or ramifications, are crossed in the plain
or valley extending from the base of the first Pass to another range
probably a spur or outlier of the ridge just crossed, and though
curvilinear, having a general direction nearly parallel with it. Green
argillaceous schists, altered by the basaltic dykes, and in almost
vertical laminze, occupy the bottom of the intervening valley. The
spur or outlying range is of a compact sandstone capping the schists
and dipping at an angle of about 28° towards the S. W. Near the
summit of the range it contains a bed of very fine white and red clay
which is extensively excavated by the natives, who use the former as a
whitewash and to paint the mark of caste on their foreheads,
The Gutpurba finds its way easterly through a break just below
this rock, and rushes through the ridge just passed, by a still narrower
and more rugged gorge.
Leaving the excavations, the traveller descends the sandstone spur
into the extensive and fertile plain of Bagulcotta, based on limestone
and its associated coloured shales and schists; bounded on the east
by the Sitadonga or Gujunderghur range; and, as far as the eye can
1845. | Notes on the South Mahratta Country, &c. 273
reach, on the west by the ranges west of Kulladghur, and those of
Gokauk on the flank of the Western Ghauts.
Plain of Bagulcotia. This plain continues westerly to within a
few miles from Kulladghi, watered by the Gutpurba on the north, and
bounded by a long, low, flat-topped range, evidently of sandstone; to the
S. the limestone, which bases it, has a general dip of about 25° towards
the E. N. E. at Bagulcotta, and a direction nearly parallel to that of
the sandstone ranges, viz. N. N. W.; both dip and direction, however,
vary occasionally, probably from flexures and disturbance by plutonic
intrusion. The limestone in the vicinity of Bagulcotta and Kulladghi
is of various shades and textures ; sometimes as white and crystalline as
marble, and composed almost entirely of carbonate of lime ; at others
siliceous or magnesian, or passing into whitish, green, blue, red and
chocolate-coloured argillaceous shales. At Bagulcotta a pale buff
coloured limestone occurs, portions of which might be applied to
lithographic purposes; specimens of it I believe have been sent to
Bombay for trial, but in consequence, probably, of not being selected
properly, have been rejected as too hard, or for being veined.
The site I hardly conceive has had a fair trial; by the sending down
a person practically qualified to select specimens, and by the quarrying
a little deeper than has hitherto been done, I have little doubt that
better samples of the stone might be got. Talicotta however, as men-
tioned in a previous paper, is the most promising locality for lithogra-
phic limestone.
The purer white crystalline variety is broken up into small fragments,
and burnt into lime. I observed in it the same green chloritic flakes
which I afterwards found veining the marble in the quarries of Mount
Pentelicus near Athens, and in the Cipolin Marbles. A pale salmon,
or flesh-coloured subcrystalline variety, resembling Tiree marble,
occurs both near Bagulcotta and at Sullakairy, a village about three
miles S. from Kulladghi.
About three miles to the E. of Kulladghi a few low hills of a
lateritic conglomerate rest on the limestone and associated shales,
running parallel with the sandstone ranges. The cementing substance
is partly a calcareous, and partly a clayey paste of a yellowish or red-
dish colour, imbedding nodules of Jaterite. The lower portions of this
rock are more compact than the upper, and exhibit distinct lines of
274 Notes on the South Mahratta Country, gc. [No. 160.
stratification. The range on the left, or south, of the road from
Bagulcctta to Kulladghi, consists of sandstone and conglomerate. The
latter imbeds pebbles both rounded and angular from the harder and
more siliceous portions of the subjacent shales and limestone, and also
pebbles of an older sandstone, which I did not discover in siti;
these beds are not inclined so much as the limestones and shales
on which they rest, but dip to the same point of the horizon.
Kulladghi. The nullahsin the vicinity of Kulladghi afford good
sections of the limestone and its associated shales which, from their
highly inclined and bent strata, have evidently suffered much distur-
bance from plutonic forces. The frequent alternations we see of
those rocks, in a very confined area, induces the supposition of the
beds having been folded back upon themselves, and thus produced
the appearance of a double and reversed alternation, the upper parts
of the folded strata having been carried away by denudation, as is
seen to be the case on the face of some of the magnificent precipices
of the Alps. .
The shales are beautifully marked by white, blue, green, yellow,
and red coloured bands; and seamed with arenaceous layers. The
open seams of the rock are often encrusted with kunkerous infiltrations.
Slate quarries of Katurki. On the Maningpur road near the
village of Katurki, about one-half koss from Kulladghi, these slates
split into rhomboidal forms by joints, and yield good hones; at Sulla-
kairy tolerable roofing slates, slates and slate pencils are quarried.
Sullakairy, as before stated, is about three miles from Kulladghi, on the
Gujunderghur road.
The lower beds of the quarried rock at Sullakairy are of a massive
blue slate interstratified with a softer lamellar variety, easily fissile,
and divisible into leaves which are often not more than a line thick ;
dendritic markings are frequently seen on the surfaces of the lamine.
From the more massive beds are hewn large blocks for pillars
of pagodas, Hindu idols, &c. Roofing slates are not much patronized
by natives, who prefer tiles, thatch or mud, but considerable quantities
have been here quarried and sent to the British cantonment of Bel-
gaum and the Portuguese Indian metropolis, Goa. The prices at the
quarries, I was informed on the spot, for slates of a foot square and
quarter or half an inch thick, are five rupees per hundred slates; they
1845. | Notes on the South Mahratia Country, &c. 275
may be procured however of much larger dimensions, and of any
degree of thinness. A capital writing slate and pencil were cut
for me out of the quarries, shaped and polished all in a couple of
hours.
A loose, friable, dark blue slate in the bed of the nullah near the
quarries is sometimes pulverized and ground up with water and used
as a blue wash for houses, &c.
Iron Mines of Hirasillaky. Iron ore is procured, according to
native information, near the village of Hirasillaky, about two and a half
koss from Kulladghi. The metal sells at from two to two and a half
rupees the pukka maund of forty-eight seers. Land carriage by bandies
or bullocks, and abundance of cheap fuel for smelting are readily pro-
curable.
From want of time and opportunity, my visit to the hone quarries
of Katurki was by torch-light, when little was to be made out regard-
ing the thickness or nature of the beds furnishing the Novaculites.
From Kulladghi to the Falls of Gokauk. Proceeding in a W. by
N. direction near the right bank of the Gutpurba, towards the falls
of Gokauk, over extensive plains of regur with patches here and
there rendered sterile by saline infiltration (the muriate and carbonate
of soda,) the limestone and its associated shales are occasionally
seen basing the plains intersected by dykes of basaltic greenstone,
of which four were counted between Lokapoor and Hulkoond,
about twenty-three miles distant from Kulladghi; to the intrusion of
these dykes much of the alteration seen in the limestone is attri-
butable.
A little to the west of Hulkoond the great overlying trap of the
Deccan is seen to extend over the surface of the schists, and may be
traced nearly to the base of the sandstone cliffs to the south and west,
covered by sandstone debris ; a few scattered sandstone outliers occur
between Hulkoond and Kulladghi.
At Munnikerry, about twenty-six miles from Kulladghi, is a ridge of
sandstone, approaching a quartz rock in compactness, intersected by
a net work of brown, ferruginous veins. The sandstone is, in some
situations, covered with a breccia composed principally of sand-
stone and quartz in angular fragments cemented by a ferruginous clay.
276 Notes on the South Mahratia Country, &c. —[No. 160.
Close to a small pagoda, the sandstone at the S. W. flank of the ridge
near the edge of the overlying trap is penetrated with a vein of black
manganese, associated with iron, about three inches broad.
At Bugganala, about two and a half miles westerly from this sand-
stone ridge, the limestone and shales are again seen dipping N. 20° E.
direction of strata E. 20° S., layers and veins of a reddish jasper and
chert intersect the limestone, a phenomenon that is usually seen
where the limestone comes in contact with plutonic or hypogene
rocks.
Farther west, between Bettighirry and Ooperhutty, a bed of quartzy
talcose schist, approaching protogine, is crossed with layers of litho-
marge.
Nearer Ooperhutty, the overlying trap is again seen in low cliffs
on the banks of a nullah, resting on a red amygdaloid, which contains
layers of a fine red bole with a shining streak, and conchoidal fracture.
It does not adhere to the tongue; falls to pieces in water; does not
form a plastic clay.
The trap is associated with wacke, with green earth in nests, and
a chocolate amygdaloid reticulated with strings of cale spar, and im-
bedding calcedony and zeolites.
A loose sandstone, associated probably with the laterite, and newer
than that which has just been described, rests in horizontal partial
layers on the trap, of which it imbeds small fragments.
On approaching the sandstone ranges of Colabanghy and Gokauk,
the hypogene schists are seen rising to the surface at their base, and the
intervening limestone and its associated shales are wanting. The hill
of Punchmi to the S. W. of the town of Gokauk has a base of
garnitiferous gneiss, hornblende and chloritic schists, capped with sand-
stone in massive beds. These beds are interstratified with layers of
conglomerate containing rounded and angular fragments of reddish
quartz rock, quartz, and a greenish and grey chert. These fragments
in many instances appear to have been deposited so tranquilly as to
have been arranged agreeably to the laws of gravitation, and occur
most frequently at the seams of the thick sandstone beds.
The hypogene rocks have a dip of about 60° towards the E. by N.,
direction of beds 8, 5° E. The sandstone rests on it unconformably,
1845. ] Notes on the South Mahratta Country, sc. LU
dipping but slightly in the same direction. A dyke of basaltic green-
stone, of about five feet broad, penetrates the hornblende schist in an
easterly direction, bifurcates at about the middle of the ascent from
the N. E. and is lost in the substance of the rock.
Falls of Gokauk. The subordinate ranges of Gokauk and Cota-
banghy now before us, form the eastern flank of the Western Ghauts,
and run in a parallel direction, here about S. by E.. At Gokauk the
upper portions of this range present mural precipices with either well
flat tabular summits, or running in narrow crested ridges.
They are entered from the east by a picturesque gorge (cross
valley), through which the Gutpurba hurries from its mountain sources
into the elevated plains of the Deccan, near the town of Gokauk,
which is about three and a half miles easterly from the falls.
The road lay along the bottom and side of this defile on the right
bank of the river, which was now (July) swollen by the monsoon
freshes from the Western Ghauts. It varied in breadth from 90 to 300
yards, presenting a rapid muddy stream, brawling and rushing from
the alternate confinement and opening out of its rocky channel. It
is unfordable generally during four months in the year at Gokauk,
viz. from the middle of May to the middle of September, at the
cessation of the monsoon. The water at the dry season ford, a little /
below the town, is now 15 feet deep. The sources are said to be near
Bunder or Gunder Ghur, a little N. of the Ramghaut Pass from the S. i
Concan to Belgaum. After a course of about 100 miles, watering the
plains of Kulladghi and Bagulcotta, it finds its way through the gaps in
the Sitadonga hills just described, to the Kistnah, which it joins at the i
Kudli Sungum.
After an hour’s time spent in winding up this rugged defile, the falls,
the roar of which we distinctly heard during the silence of night at
the town of Gokauk, at a sudden angle of the road became partly visi-
ble, presenting the magnificent spectacle of a mass of water containing
upwards of 16,000 cubic feet precipitated from the tabular surface of
the sandstone into a gorge forming the head of the defile, the bottom
of which is about 178 feet below the lip of the cataract. The Gut- i
purba a little above the fall is apparently about 250 yards across, but
contracts to 80 as the brink of the chasm is approached ; consequently
the density and velocity of the watery mass is much increased, and
i ij
278 Notes on the South Mahratta Country, &c. [No. 160.
it hurries down the shelving tables of rock with frightful rapidity to
its fall.
The fall over the face of the precipice seems slow and sullen from
the velocity of the surface water of this rapid, and from the great
denseness of the body; and it plunges heavily down with a deep
thundering sound, which we heard during the previous night at our en-
campment, three and a half miles farther down the river.
This ponderous descent, and the heavy muddy colour of the water,
conveys a feeling of weight through the eye to the senses, which is re-
lieved by the lightness and airiness of thin clouds of white vapour
and amber-coloured spray which ascend from the basin at the bottom
of the gorge in curling wreaths, curtaining the lower portions of the fall,
and through which the basin was only seen at intervals when its sur-
face was swept by the fitful gusts that swept up the glen.
Rising above the cliffs that confine the falls, the watery particles
vanish as they ascend ; but again condensing, descend in gentle showers,
which is felt at a short distance round the head of the falls.
Spray bows, varying in brightness, distinctness and extent, accord-
ing to the quantity of light refracted, and the modification of the
vapour, lent their prismatic tints to the ever-ascending wreaths; the
largest, (observed about 4 p. m.) formed an arch completely across
the river, rose, and receding as the sun sank in the west, gradually dis-
appeared with it. Like the rainbow they are only produced on the sur-
face of the cloud opposed to the sun’s rays. The size and distance from
each other of the drops composing the different portions of the spray
cloud, evidently influenced the brilliancy of the refracted colours, the
tints being brightest in those portions where the drops were of medium
size and density, and dullest where the watery particles were smallest
and closest together.
The velocity of the surface water of the rapid was about nine feet
per second, and its depth ten feet. About two and a half miles farther up,
the river near the village of Koonoor, beyond the rapid, is a ford in the
dry season, and a safe ferry during the monsoon. A tumbler-full of the
turbid water deposited 1-50th of its bulk of a fine reddish clay, not cal-
careous,—a fact showing that the lime which exists in the sediment
of this river at its confluence with the Kistnah, must have been derived
from the intermediate plains. The pebbles brought down are chiefly
1845. ] Notes on the South Mahratta Country, &c. 279
quartz, granitie, and from the hypogene schists, with a few of cal-
cedony ; the sands containing grains of magnetic iron. The boiling point
of water at the plateau of sandstone from which the cataract falls,
gives 2817 feet above the level of the sea.
The mean temperature of the place, approximated by Boussin-
gault’s method, is 78°, which I should think rather too high, as the
temperature of a spring close by was only 75°. Temperature of air in
the shade at time 78°. |
The mean temperature of Darwar, which stands much lower, is cal-
culated by Christie at 75°.
The head of the fissure, which is elliptical in form, with mural sides
of sandstone, has much the appearance of having been cut back, like
Niagara, by the abrading action of the water, for the space of about
100 yards. Large rocks, with angular unworn surfaces, evidently dislodg-
ed from the rocks on the spot are seen in the bed, and on the sides of
the river below the deep basin-receptacle of the fallen waters and on
its margin. The great hardness and compact structure of the sand-
stone above the falls offers great obstacles to their rapid recession.
The cliffs, however, flanking the right side of the river below, are
rent by nearly vertical fissures from summit to base, by one of which
I descended to the bed. The direction of two of the largest was about
EK. S. E. They are crossed nearly at right angles by minor cracks
which thus insulate portions of the rock. The bases of these totter-
ing pinnacles are often undermined by the action of the water, and the
mass tumbles headlong into the stream.
The sandstone in its lower portions is interstratified with layers of
shale, the softness of which facilitates this process of undermining.
These shales are of a purplish-brown and yellowish-brown colour,
with minute spangles of mica disseminated, and between the laminz
contain incrustations of common alum (sulphate of alumina). The
alum is earthy and impure, and sometimes has a mammillated surface
resembling the alum incrustations in the ferruginous shales cresting
the copper mountain near Bellary. It is found in considerable quan-
The ripple mark, so often seen on the sandstones of Europe, is
observed in great distinctness on the tabular surfaces of the cliffs and
in the exposed layers of the subjacent beds, at least 100 feet below the |
i
tity in a small cave near the foot of the falls. |
280 Notes on the South Mahratta Country, &c. (No. 160.
surface. Its longitudinal direction is various, but generally S. 25°
W., indicating the KE. S. E. and W. N. W. direction of the current
which caused them. The ripple marks on the sandstones of Cuddapah
and Kurnool have a general similar direction.
At the bottom of the deep fissures in the sandstone cliffs already
described, accumulations have formed of fallen fragments of rock,
sticks and leaves, &c. from above, intermingled with the dung and bones
of bats, rats and wild pigeons, with a few sheep and goat bones.
Some of the latter have the appearance of having been gnawed by
hyenas, jackals, or other beasts of prey. Many however are evidently
the remains of animals that have fallen from above, as the bones are
fractured.
The upper portions of these fissures have sometimes been choked by
rock and rubbish from above. Their sides, though generally smooth,
are marked with shallow polished grooves.
I made two excavations through the floor of the principal fissure, in
the hope of meeting with organic remains, but in vain. After pene-
trating the surface layer of loose stones, and bats’ dung, a fine red
earth was met with, imbedding angular fragments of sandstone, and
a few rounded pebbles of it and quartz. After digging for about four
or five feet through this, farther progress was prevented by great blocks
of solid rock.
The seeds of creepers and other plants vegetate on this soil, and
shoot rapidly towards the surface, shading the fissures with their
leaves.
On the cliffs near the falls, on the right bank of the river, stands
a small group of Hindu temples dedicated to Siva. The principal
shrine is a massive and elaborately carved structure of sandstone,
elevated on a high, well built pediment above the reach of the ordinary
floods.
Seven years ago, three of the steps of the northern flight ascending
this terrace were submerged by an extraordinary rise of the river. The
Vimana of this temple contains the Phallitic emblem of Siva, the
Linga, guarded by the sacred bull. Here we passed the heat of the
day. On the opposite bank of the river rises a well wooded hill,
about 100 feet above the brink of the rapid, on which stand a few
ruins of other Hindu religious structures.
1845. ] Notes on the South Mahratta Country, c. . Sl
The table-land to the S. of the falls is covered with low jungle of
Mimosa, Euphorbia, Cassia and Bunder, the Mend bundati with its lilac
sweet pea-like blossom, the Carissa spinarum, Webera tetrandra and
other thorny shrubs. The Euphorbia antiqua and tortilis were in
flower, (July).
Tract between Gokauk and Belgaum, along the Western slope of the
Ghauts. From the falls of Gokauk by Padshahpoor to the cantom-
ment of Belgaum, about 344 miles, the route lies nearly S. W. across
an elevated table-land sloping gently to the eastward, covered with
alternating bands of red and black soil, generally well cultivated, and
intersected from Padshahpoor, which is about 114 miles from the
falls, to Belgaum by curvilinear spurs and outlying hills, belonging
to the Western Ghaut system, consisting of sandstone and sandstone
conglomerates as at Gokauk, in nearly horizontal strata. The ruins
of the fort at Padshahpoor stand on a low flat-topped hill of this sand-
stone. This formation has been covered in two localities by the overly-
ing trap. A little beyond the village of Kunnoor, about two miles from
the falls, a narrow coulee of trap is crossed, containing olivine and dark
glassy crystals of felspar.
About a mile to the N. E. of Belgaum, another sheet of trap is
entered on, which extends to the sandstone ranges on the right. The
sandstone is now finally lost sight of on the line of route, and the trap
continues the surface rock to Belgaum, where it is covered by a
thick bed of laterite, over which is in some places superimposed a
layer of the more recent lateritic conglomerate.
Sections of these rocks are afforded by the quarries near the old
European Barracks, none of which have been excavated to the subjacent
trap. It has however been dug down to in some of the deepest wells of
the place. The laterite is used here as at Malacca, Goa, and on the
Malabar coast, as a building stone.
The trap in the vicinity of Belgaum rises into hills with rounded
summits, covered in general with a dark, spongy mould, which is boggy
during the monsoon, the grassy and almost treeless surface of which
affords a strong contrast to the jungle-covered hills of sandstone to the
N. W. The trap hills are rarely flat-topped, or in horizontal ranges,
282 Notes on the South Mahratta Country, &§c. [[No. 160.
as seen in the more central parts of its area. The trap at the summit
of these hills is usually dark, compact, and basaltic, but occasionally
contains almond-shaped and spheroidal cavities filled with calce-
dony and crystallized quartz, zeolites and green earth. Black crystals
of augite are occasionally seen shooting through its structure, which
decay sooner than the imbedding rock ; and, falling out in the state of
powder, leave numberless cavities on the surface. The rock itself in
weathering, resembles iron in rusting, and passes into reddish brown,
or coffee-coloured earth, or clay. Cavities occasionally are seen filled
with a black earth resembling black bole.
S. E. boundary of the overlying trap at Bangwart. This trap
passing into amygdaloid and wacke, and covered with patches of laterite,
extends about fourteen and a half miles 8. E. from Belgaum, a little to
the West of the village of Bangwari, though a few narrow slips are
crossed a few miles farther East. The edge of the trap is seen reposing on
the hypogene schists at the base of the trap hills close to the village,
the ferruginous quartzites with veins of a diaphanous bluish quartz and
hornblende schists, are here seen to basset out in nearly vertical strata.
From the Southern limit of the overlying trap at Bangwari to the
Malpurba. A few hundred yards to the W. of the village of Hoobly,
sixteen and a quarter miles S. E. from Belgaum, there is a low hill cover-
ed with alluvial soil, in which I found an angular block of quartz with a
fibrous structure resembling that of silicified wood, but evidently not of
organic origin. The exterior is brown and opaque ;—interior generally
translucent with microscopic longitudinal cavities. Minute longitudinal
fibres of tale are discoverable with the aid of a lens, having a parallel
direction with those of the fibres of quartz, and I have little doubt
that the rock owes its fibrous structure to the presence of tale. I have
observed a similar structure in the quartzite associated with the talcose
and actynolitic schists of Mysore.
Malpurba River. About three-quarters of a mile from Hoobly the
Malpurba is crossed. It was swollen by the monsoon (July) and unfor-
dable, having about eighteen feet of water in the mainchannel. Rate
of surface current, two and a half feet per second. Its breadth by a tri-
gonometrical observation ninety-five yards. A tumbler-full of the water
1845. | Notes on the South Mahratta Country, sc. 283
deposited a scanty sediment of fine red silt, about 1-50th part of its bulk.
The temperature of the water a foot below the surface was 74°, of air in
shade 72°, of a well thirty feet deep 74° 5’. The temperature of rain
water 73°. (The atmosphere had then been cooled to 70° and 74° by
eighteen days of successive rain, with a pretty steady westerly wind).
The banks of the river are of silt and sand, the left or Western bank
is steep and high.
From the Malpurba to Darwar. From the banks of the Malpurba
to Darwar, a direct distance of twenty-three miles, the country is
hilly and picturesque, particularly around the Marhatta forts and towns
of Kittoor and Taigoor, which command a lovely landscape of hill and
dale. The valleys are. generally well watered, cultivated with dry
and wet grain, and studded, parklike, with clumps of the Mango and
Tamarind, while the sloping sides of the hills, verdant with the rain,
afford a plentiful pasture to flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. The
landscape around Darwar partakes of the same character, and was
frequently brought to recollection during subsequent wanderings in
Karamania, the Troad, and other parts of Asia Minor.
The soil covering the surface of this pleasing tract of country, is
usually reddish, and the result of the decay and washing of the neigh-
bouring rocks. A few belts of cotton soil appear here and there. The
staple products of these soils are rice, yellow and white Juari, Bajra,
Raggi, Teimgoni, Till, Tobacco, Saffron, and Maize; Mimosa, Euphor-
bia, Cacti, Cassias, and Acacias constitute the majority of the wild
vegetation.
The schists forming the hills in the vicinity of Kittoor resemble,
petrologically, the jaspideous schists of Bellary and Sondur (described
in Madras Journal for July 1838, pp. 147-49,) and consist commonly
of chert and brown iron ore, or a ferruginous jaspideous clay in alter-
nate layers ; sometimes in straight lines, sometimes in flexures con-
torted, or bent at acute angles, and resembling those of ribbon jasper.
This rock, like that of Sondur, is sometimes magnetic with polarity.
It contains nests and cavities lined with blistery and stalactitic hema-
tite, quartz crystals, and veins of smoky quartz. In some places,
like the Sondur rock, it puts on the appearance of a breccia consist~
ing of a dark chocolate, or liver-brown paste, highly indurated, giving
fire with steel, imbedding angular fragments of the striped ribbon jas-
— —— —
284 Notes on the South Mahratta Country, ce. [No. 160.
per-like variety, and appearing, as Christie justly describes, as if the
latter rock had been broken into a number of small angular fragments,
which had been afterwards united by the consolidation of the brown
variety. I have seen this singular phenomenon most beautifully ex-
hibited in some specimens of a continental agate breccia in the col-
lection of Mr. Robert Brown, the celebrated botanist, where angular
fragments of beautiful jasper and agate are united together in highly
transparent quartz. The pieces of agate and jasper must evidently
have been once continuous, and re-united on the spot where they were
fractured ; since, in most instances, the sides of the fractured portions
are sharp and angular, and could be refitted into each other with per-
fect exactness; some are only separated a tenth of an inch by the
transparent medium in which they are set. The differently coloured
bands identify the fractured portions as having once constituted one
integral piece of jasper or agate.
If the reader can imagine a flat piece of ribbon-jasper or agate laid
down upon a table, and both broken, so that the fractured portions
shall not be scattered widely from their neighbours, and a layer of mol-
ten glass carefully poured over them, he may form an idea of the ap-
pearance of these beautiful breccias. He must not expect, however,
to see such regularity in rocks on the large scale.
Towards Darwar the schists pass into chloritic and argillaceous
slates and shales, of all shades of white, yellow, red, brown, and green ;
interstratified with beds of quartz rock, and the jaspideous rock just
described, which generally forms crests and mural ridges on the sum-
mits of the hills. The latter is often found in irregular masses, ob-
scurely stratified ; but, in most cases, as remarked already, in regularly
interstratified beds with the clay and chloritic schists conformable
both in dip and direction.
The lustre of this rock is sometimes equal to that of pitchstone, and
sometimes dull and earthy; the fracture flat conchoidal, in the more
compact varieties; splintery and slightly granular in the less compact.
The Kittoor and Darwar schists bear evident marks of the alternation
produced by the intrusion of granite, and trap dikes seen occasional-
ly at the bases of these hills; and as in the Ceded Districts, and other
localities on the hypogene area, of Southern India, affords striking illus-
trations of the correctness of McCulloch’s remark on the formation
1845. | Notes on the South Mahratta Country, §c. 285
of jasper rock,* viz. ‘‘ where strata of quartz rock, containing much
felspar or clay occur in contact with granite, they pass into Jasper
if the clay abounds; while in other places they are converted into
chert if less of that earth is present ; or, if pure, are rendered perfectly
crystalline.”
With regard to the classification of jaspideous rocks associated with
the metamorphic schists of S. India, it is clear they either belong to
the jasper rocks, or silicious schists of McCulloch, both of which,
however, I have reason to think, pass occasionally into each other.
Both occar in strata among the metamorphic rocks; jasper sometimes
forming hills in Siberia and Norway, and it is seen in Scotland and the
Appennines imbedded in micaceous and argillaceous schists.
The difficulty that sometimes exists of distinguishing these two rocks
has not escaped the notice of McCulloch, who thus remarks: ‘ Jasper
presents a few modifications of internal structure which require notice.
It sometimes gives indications of a spheroidal concretionary dis-
position, more or less perfect, and resembling that which, under cir-
cumstances of a similar nature, occurs in chert and silicious schist. In
the same way, it sometimes possesses a laminar structure, and in this
also it approximates to the silicious schists. It is easy to see how
from similarity of origin, connexion and composition, it may be thus
a matter of doubt to which of those two rocks any given specimen
or bed should be referred. The well known striped and spotted
jaspers owe their appearance to the two structures above-mentioned,
and occasionally the two are combined in the same specimen.”
There is however a perhaps somewhat empirical distinction drawn
by some geologists between these two classes of rocks, founded upon
the supposed less stratified character of jasper, its intrusion into
other rocks in the state of veins, and its association with trap rocks,
which I will avail myself of to place, pro-tempore, the jaspideous
rocks of Southern India among the silicious schists; from their, in ge-
neral, decidedly stratified character, particularly those of the Southern
Marhatta country, which pass into the associated schists, and preserve a
conformable dip and direction. The petrographical characters of the
Marhatta beds, varying according to the degree of induration, and
* Classification of Rocks, pp. 546-47.
286 Notes on the South Mahratta Country, &c. [No. 160.
structure, on the whole less assimilate those of jasper than in Sondur
and other places. The generality of its most jaspideous and lami-
nar beds may be classed in McCulloch’s second division of silicious
chert, viz.
‘F, Laminar, with alternate colours, and forming varieties of the
striped jasper of mineralogists. The colours are commonly shades of
red, brown, yellow and purplish black, and these kinds appear to be
derived from the coloured shales.
“G. Containing imbedded crystals of quartz, and of a porphyritic
aspect.”
The physical aspect of the country to the W. and S. W. of Darwar
is hilly. The elevations are generally, like those of the clay slate of
the Cambrian group, round-backed, smooth, of no great altitude, and
separated by well cultivated vallies, or marrow ravines. They are
partially covered with a low shrubby vegetation principally of Mimosa,
Cacti, and the Cassia auriculata. To the East stretches the great plateau
of the S. Mahratta country and Ceded Districts, covered for the
most part with a thick layer of regur, and continuing, with but few
hilly interruptions, across the peninsula to the Eastern Ghauts. The
soil in the immediate vicinity of Darwar is reddish and clayey, evident-
ly the alluvium of the schistose hills, and disintegration of rocks in
siti.
The rocks composing the hills are schists passing into slates and
shales, (agreeably to Lyell’s distinctions of these terms.) The general
structure is perhaps more schistose and shaly than slaty. The struc-
ture varies from massive, and obscurely slaty, to finely laminar; andfrom —
compact and flinty, to soft and sectile. The lamin are nearly verti-
cal, and generally run parallel with the prevailing line of elevation, viz.
N. W. and S. E. The stratification, if not identical with the lamina-
tion, is obscure. It is well known, however, that the lines of fissility
in slates are not necessarily those of stratification, the former being often
caused by the arrangement of mica, chlorite or tale; petrographically
speaking, the rock passes from a green chloritic schist into all shades
of white, yellow, red and brown, sometimes singularly arranged in
stripes, in contorted and waving bands; red and white being the pre-
valent tints. Felspar, in a clayey slate of disintegration, is the preva-
lent mineral blended with quartz, and tinged with iron. The white
SO
1845. | Notes on the South Mahratta Country, sc. 287
varieties seldom contain silex sufficient to give them the character of
Kaolin. The whole mass is sometimes reticulated by veins of a brown
ferruginous quartz and impure iron ore, (often split in the centre, and
the sides of the fissure lined with quartz crystals) having apparently
no decided direction. Iron pyrites are seen in the chloritic schists ;
this rock, particularly in the vicinity of trap dykes, has a tendency to
the prismatic and rhomboidal forms, in which the lamination, though
generally obscure, is sometimes still distinctly traceable. A system of
joints running nearly at right angles with those of lamination, often in-
tersect the whole group of these schists. These jointed portions are not
capable of that indefinite subdivision into similar solids by which Pro-
fessor Sedgwick justly observes, the true cleavage planes may generally
be distinguished from the joints. The difficulty in the schists of the
S. Mahratta country is to discriminate between the planes of cleavage,
and those of mechanical deposition, or chemical precipitation, for
which there are three good tests, viz. the interstratification of another
bed of rock, the coloured bands of successive deposition, and a pecu-
liar, but slightly dimpled appearance on the surfaces of the planes
never seen on those of cleavage. From the occurrence of the latter
on the planes of the laminz of the Darwar rocks, and from the iron and
dip of the large interstratified beds of quartz and silicious schists, I
am inclined to consider that the true lines of stratification run nearly
parallel with that of elevation, viz. nearly N. W. and S. E., and that the
lamine are those of deposition ; while the microscopic fissures by which
the rock is cleft into rhomboidal and prismatic forms may be received
as those of true cleavage.
My friend Captain Allardyce, who has minutely examined the rocks
about Darwar, writes me that the direction of the lamine and that of
stratification keep very constant to one point of the compass, viz. N. W.
by N. for a great distance, perhaps over an area of from fifty to one hun-
dred miles. One may pick up a fragment of chlorite slate of a trian-
gular, pyramidal outline, the external planes of which will be ferrugi-
nous, while the interior is divided into minute lamine ot ferruginous,
and coincident with only one of the planes. On examination of the
rock in siti, this minute lamination is found to be vertical, and invari-
ably divided N. W. by N., conformable, in short, to the line of eleva-
tion. The chloritic schist N. of Darwar is of a bluish green tinge,
2s
288 Notes on the South Mahratta Country, &c. [No. 160.
greasy to the touch; and sometimes so massive in structure as to make
an excellent building stone, although it rarely loses its slaty fracture.
Thin pieces, per se, before the blow-pipe, fuse partially on the edges
into globules of a greenish-coloured enamel.
It is often intersected by ferruginous quartz veins, or rather layers,
that, penetrating the lateral joint seams, and the almost vertical layers
of stratification, divide the rock into cuboidal masses. Veins of a
reddish grey or white kunker, both friable and compact, occur.
Country S. of Darwar to the Mysore and Canara Frontiers. From
the hills of Darwar to the Mysore frontier near Bunwassi and Chun-
dergooty, the face of the country presents a plain diversified with a
few mammiform and smooth conoidal truncated hills, which do not
rise to any considerable height. The soil is generally reddish and
alluvial, crossed in an easterly direction by narrow belts of cotton
soil. The formation is much the same as at Darwar. Dykes of
greenstone and beds of kunker now become more frequent. A large
deposit of the latter is crossed on the road between the old town of
Hoobly and the German mission house, about fifteen miles S. E. from
Darwar. The wells near are often brackish, and so deep as seventy feet.
Both Hingari and Mungari crops are cultivated. Rice too is grown
in some of the moist, shallow vallies and flats below the small tanks,
which now become more numerous.
Bunwassi and Mysore Frontier. Towards Bunwassi quartz rock
prevails with greenstone dykes, having a general easterly direction
often covered by beds of laterite and lateritic conglomerate imbedding
fragments of quartz rock in a cellular brown ferruginous paste. This
rock has been employed in the construction of the wall enclosing the
quadrangle of the ancient temple and the old temple at Bunwassi. A
little farther South rises from the schists the lofty rock of Chundergooty
in Mysore, a mountain mass of granitoidal gneiss divided by vertical
and almost horizontal fissures.
From Bunwassi to Gudduk. From Bunwassi, KE. N. Easterly to
Savanoor, the chloritic and coloured schists and slate clays continue.
Near the latter place dykes of greenstone become more frequent, ac-
companied by depositions of hunker, which is seen filling fissures in
the schists, and overspreading their surface beneath the alluvial soil.
The direction of the beds at Savanoor suffers a deflection after
1845. | Notes on the South Mahratta Country, §c. 289
leaving Darwar of about 40°, being nearly due N. and S., dipping at
an angle of about 40° towards the East. They terminate on the N.
E. between Savanoor and Gudduck, close to Lackmaisir. Here a spur
from the principal N. and S$. line of elevation runs nearly E. and W.
dipping towards the S. ; several similar spurs are crossed between Bun-
wassi and Lackmaisir ; the dykes of greenstone run in a similar direc-
tion. The schists, in the vicinity of the dykes, are indurated, silicious,
and often abound with iron. Crystals of liver and brass-coloured iron
pyrites are scattered through its structure ; cotton soil alternates in these
strips with the red clayey alluvial soil; it was first observed W. of
Bankassur, near which the vegetation peculiar to the W. Ghauts ter-
minates rather abruptly.
At Lackmaisir, gneiss is seen on the bank of a nullah running near-
ly E. and W. with a dip of 35° towards the S., and farther N. it rises
into a low round backed ridge. Proceeding still more N. granite
occurs in low bosses and detached blocks, and rises into a few clusters
at the town of Kul Mulgoond. Near Hurti, on the S. flank of the
Kupputgode range, resting on the gneiss, is a hill of mammiform shape,
having its surface covered with detached, angular, and rugged masses
of a calcareous rock, which appear to have been subjected to the action
of violent disruptive forces. It is very liable to be mistaken, from the
colour, hardness and granular texture, for a variety of the massive
chlorite schist we have just left behind; and in some hard specimens it
resembles diallage and serpentine. The mass of it however, on the
application of a lens, clearly exhibits its true aggregate character : it is
composed of minute angular fragments of a dark glistening quartz, and
crystals of a pale flesh-coloured felspar, cemented by a greenish, gra-
nular suberystalline paste, composed principally of carbonate of lime,
and containing disseminated scales of mica. The application of dilute
nitric acid to the rock excited but a feeble effervescence ; but from the
powder, the extraction of carbonic acid gas was abundantly evident.
Like the chlorite slate, it imbeds cubical, brass, and liver-coloured iron
pyrites. Before the blow pipe, per se, it phosphoresces slightly, and
exhibits, on thin edges, shining points of black enamel. The compact
varieties of this rock are susceptible of a high polish, and are used for
ornamental architecture. Some of the finely polished slabs in the
290 Notes on the South Mahratta Country, 5c. [No. 160.
elaborately sculptured mosque in the town Lackmaisir appear to be of
this stone, retaining, like lapis lazuli, the pyrites which shine like so
many spots of gold in its polished surface. In weathered surfaces of
the rock these crystals are often seen projecting. It is not unlike
some varieties of the celebrated calcareous breccia di verde of Egypt.
From its massive character, and want of a proper section, I could
not find whether it was interstratified with the gneiss, or rested uncon-
formably upon it. Gold-dust is found in the Nalas of Hurti, of Soltoor,
and of Chick Mulgoond.
Beyond this singular hill runs a dyke of greenstone K. by S., which is
crossed on the road, and alsoa range of chlorite and clay slate hills crest-
ed with ferruginous silicious schist, having a similar direction. Passing
this, the country slopes northerly to Gudduck where gneiss and felspar
rocks continue.
From Gudduck E. to the Ceded Districts, and N. to Gujunder Ghur.
From Gudduck easterly to the Tumbuddra and the Ceded Districts,
the formations consist of gneiss, hornblende slate and granite; and
from Gudduck westerly to Darwar, first gneiss and hornblende slate ;
succeeded, about seventy or eighty miles E. of Darwar, by chlorite and
coloured schists and shales.. North of Gudduck the hypogene schists
and granite extend to Gujunder Ghur, where they are covered by the
sandstone beds.
Kupputgode Hills. The Kupputgode range presents an example of
one of the crop dislocations which traverse the table-land of the penin-
sula in a direction from, E. by S. to KE. S. E. often influencing the courses
of the large rivers which, rising in the Western Ghauts, flow over the
table-lands through gaps in the Eastern Ghauts to the Bay of Bengal.
It commences a little south of Gudduck, and proceeds in a curvilinear
direction easterly, until a little W. of the village of Kuddumpore where
it bifurcates; the principal branch taking a S. 25° E. direction to
the Toombuddra, which flows through a wide gap, and is continued
into the Ceded Districts by Harponhully. The northern branch
pursues an easterly course towards Dummul, where it traverses a
wide plain extending as far as the eye can reach to the N. E. The
strata dip near Gudduck towards the N. at an angle of 35°. Those
of the southern chain, below the bifurcation and change in the direction,
—
1845. | Notes on the South Mahratta Country, Sc. 291
dip E. 20° N. direction of strata S. 20° E. The dip frequently varies
with the flexures and contortions into which the hypogene schists have
been thrown. In one of the highest peaks it appeared qua qua versal ;
and near the temple to Kupput Iswara, whence the range derives its
name, I found the dip to the 8. W.
An immense dyke of basaltic greenstone emerges from the base
of the strata near the point where the range suddenly bifurcates,
accompanied, as usual, by large deposits of Kunker, which fill most of
the seams and fissures in it and the adjacent rock. Considerable
tendency to silicification is observed; the schists are profusely veined
with quartz of different hues, white, pinkish, and diaphanous blue,
reddish, smoky and black; seams and large veins of basanite also
occur.
The Kupput hills are principally composed of hornblende and
chloritic schists, gneiss and mica slate; large interstratified beds of
silicious and ferruginous schists, as at Darwar, often forming thin
ridges ; seams and thin beds of a crystalline white marble occur;
which, near their junction with the hornblende slate, are often coloured
green. On the flanks of the range, at the base, gneiss invaded by gra-
nite is seen, both quartzose and felspathic, containing rose-coloured
quartz and felspar. Near Dummul the gneiss is often so much
weathered as to resemble sandstone; schorl and actynolite are usu-
ally seen in the quartz veins, which intersect it. The dip of the
gneiss is nearly vertical at Dummul, in other situations it varies
almost to horizontal; some of the hills are capped with laterite, re-
sembling that of Sondoor. The beds of the Dhoni rivulet, which has
its rise in these hills, contain gravel and sand, in which gold-dust is
found associated with magnetic iron sand, menaccanite, iron ore, grains
of platinum, grey carbonate of silver, grey carbonate of copper, &c. Man-
ganese is also found in considerable quantities. Tippoo excavated pits
for gun-flints, of which I have given a description elsewhere.* Potstone
occurs with the talc schist in this vicinity, and is used by the natives in
sculpture, for cooking vessels, and for giving a smooth surface. The oc-
currence of gold, silver, copper, platinum, and manganese seems to have
escaped the observation of Christie, Marshall, and other writers on the
* Madras Journal of Literature and Science for January 1840, p. 42.
292 Notes on the South Mahratta Country, $c [[No. 160.
S. Mahratta country; and there doubtless exist many other minerals
in its rocks now unknown, but which the researches of other and
abler pioneers than myself, and with more leisure, will not fail to elicit.
Geographical position and extent of the various Rocks of the S. Mah-
ratta Country.
Hypogene Rocks. Commencing on the South, we find the greater
portion of our area occupied by hypogene schists and argillaceous shales
and slates, reaching on the North from Gujunder Ghur from the edges
of the limestone and sandstone tracts; and at Bangwari, fifteen miles
S. E. from Belgaum, basseting from beneath the overlying trap whence
they extend by Darwar and Kittoor, forming the base of the Western
Ghauts, and underlying the laterite of North Canara to the Sea on the
West, stretching into Mysore on the South, and into the great plains
of the Ceded Districts and Hydrabad on the East.
Near the N, W. angle they are seen outcropping from the sand-
stones near Gokauk as a salbande at the edges of the overlying trap
formation along the N. bank of the Kistnah, in narrow zones along the
Western base of the Sitadonga hills. They are seen with granitic
rocks on the summit of the Ramghaut, and below it hornblende schist
occurs on the sea shore at Vingorla.
Extent of the Limestone and Sandstone Beds.
The Limestone. The Southern boundary of the limestone and its
associated shales has not been traced with accuracy, but we find it four
or five miles S. of Kulladghi.
On the North Eastern extremity it emerges from the overlying trap
near Talicotta, is capped by sandstone at Mudibhal, but re-appears in
the valley of the Kistnah at Chimlaghi. A little to the S. W. it is again
overlain by the great mass of sandstone forming the Sitadonga hills,
- but again is seen forming for the most part the base of the great plains
of Kulladghi and Bagulcotta, and stretching to the West to the sand-
stone ranges of Gokauk and Padshapoor which bound it to the West,
while the northern edge is fringed irregularly along the banks of the
Gutpurba by the overlying trap.
Extent of the Sandstone. The sandstone and conglomerate ranges
usually skirt the great limestone plains as the sand and gravel shores
1845. ] Notes on the South Mahratta Country, c. 293
environ the bed of some dried-up inland sea, and this appearance is
heightened by the bold, flat-topped headlands and receding bays pre-
sented by the sandstone ranges in their curvilinear outline. This con-
tinuity of these long horizontal ranges, which usually preserve an uni-
formity of height, rarely exceeding 300 feet, has however been
greatly violated by, apparently, denudatory aqueous causes ; and it is not
uucommon to see outlying masses and short ranges of sandstone at
considerable distances from the principal deposit, for instance the de-
tached rocks of Noulgoond, Pedda and Chick Nurgoond, (where it oc-
curs in scarped masses cropping granite and the hypogene schists, ) and
the detached central range between Kulladghi and Gokauk.
The Sitadonga hills form the eastern fringe to the district, and those
of Gokauk the western, extending southerly from its northern limits
on both sides of the limestone plain of Kulladghi and Bagulcotta to
about the latitude of the Malpurba river. The subjacent limestone
thins out, or is entirely wanting at the edges, where the sandstone is
often seen resting immediately on the granite and hypogene schists.
The eastern ridge of sandstone turns westerly near Gujunder
Ghur.
Extent of the Laterite. Laterite is seen capping some of the sand-
stone hills of the Sitadonga range, and a narrow belt along its eastern
flank. It also occurs in the form of low hills and patches overlying
the limestone in the plains of Bagulcotta and Kulladghi.
In the Southern parts of the district it occurs in a few patches
covering the hypogene schists of the Kupputgode range, and on the
summits of the Ghaut ranges West of Belgaum and Darwar.
Extent of Kunker. Kunker is pretty generally distributed ; there
are beds near Badami and Hoobly, of some extent, covered by alluvium.
Extent of the Regur. This remarkable soil, or deposit, for so I con-
sider it, resembles much the Zchornoi Zem covering the steppes of
Russia; it prevails almost exclusively in the plains East of Dar-
war, and those of Kulladghi and Bagulcotta, except where interrupted
by chains of hills, and covered by the alluvium washed from their sides,
in beds from a few inches to thirty or forty feet deep.
Extent of Plutonic and Trappean Rocks. Plutonic rocks are rarely
seen developed in any extent on the surface of the South Mahratta
country, but their effects are sufficiently apparent in the altered state
of many of the lower rocks.
294 Notes on the South Mahratia Country, gc. [No. 160.
Granite is seen in bosses and rocks near Lackmaisir, at Gujunder
Ghur and Noulgoond, underlying the sandstone at Mulgoond, in the
gneiss of the Kupputgode hills, at Gudduk and Dummul, and in the
districts bordering on the Tumbuddra and East of Gujunder Ghur.
The largest dykes of basaltic greenstone, which I observed, were at
the West base of the Sitadonga hills, and in the Kupputgode range.
Extent, sc. of Overlying Trap. The southern margin of the great
sheet of overlying trap, which overspreads almost the whole of Central
and Western India and the Concan, runs across the northern part of
the South Mahratta country, covering all rocks except the laterite,
kunker, and regur, all which overlie it: entering from the Nizam’s
territories by Firozabad on the Bhima, it descends to the Kistnah near
Churilaghi, near its confluence with the Gutpurba and follows with
some irregularities the northern bank of the latter river by Kotabangy,
a little to the N, of the falls of Gokauk to the W. Ghauts and the sea,
which it reaches a little N. of Malwan.
The narrow zone of oliviniferous trap, crossed between the falls and
Koonoor, possibly connects the outlier of this rock on which Belgaum
stands with the main Coulee.
North of the Kistnah the trap spreads over the Kolapoor, Sattarah,
and Poonah countries ; to the N. E. it covers the plains of Bijapore and
the Nizam’s territories, stretching towards Gwalior. Where the trap
terminates to the W. of Belgaum is not exactly ascertained, as the
summits of the Ghauts near the Pass down to Vingorla are composed
of granite and the hypogene schists; but the river Gutpurba, as has
been observed already, brings down a few calcedonies to the falls of
Gokauk. The amygdaloid noticed at Bangwari, and in the vicinity of
Belgaum, appears to have escaped the observation of Christie, who
states he has not seen this rock in sitt.
Classification of the Rocks of the South Mahratta Country.
Christie, partly adopting the Wernerian system, has classed the rocks
of the South Mahratta Country under five heads, viz.:
Ist. Granite.
2nd. Transition Rocks.
3rd. Old Red Sandstone.
4th. Secondary Trap. —
oth. Alluvial,
1845. | Notes on the South Mahratta Country, sc. 295
Under the head of Transition he has included the gneiss and talc
schist of Dammul, Nurgoond and Gairsuppa. The chlorite and clay
slates, silicious schists and quartzite of Darwar, Kittore, and in short,
the schists of the whole of the central and southern parts of the Darwar
districts, together with the limestone of Kulladghi and Bagulcotta.
Some clay slates associated with these limestones he has classed
among the grauwacke group, and the sandstone with the old red sand-
stone.
This classification has been apparently grounded on mineral resem-
blance of the schists to the transition rocks of Werner, their in gene-
ral highly inclined strata, and on the circumstance of the sandstone
resting, in some localities, on the schists in unconformable, and almost
horizontal stratification. These facts, without the additional evidence
of organic remains, and in the total absence of any associated stratum
the age of which has been distinctly ascertained, would hardly be
deemed by geologists of the present day, sufficiently conclusive to
warrant the rocks of the S. Mahratta country being referred to the
same epochs as the transition, grauwacke and old red sandstone,rocks
of Europe, as now defined.
Werner, in his improvement of the system of Lehman who divided
rocks into three classes, viz. :
Ist. Primitive : comprising plutonic or granitic rocks, and the hypo-
gene or metamorphic schists formed with the world, and containing no
fragments of other rocks ;
2nd. Secondary : including the aqueous and fossiliferous strata which
resulted from the partial debris of the primitive rocks by a general
revolution ;
3rd. Alluvial: comprehending the debris of local floods and of the
Deluge of Noah—
intercalated a 4th class between the Ist and 2nd class, and under this
head he placed a series of strata, which he thought formed a passage
between Lehman’s primitive and secondary rocks, hence called
transition, assimilating on the one hand to the crystalline structure of
mica, and clay slates, and on the other, evincing traces of a mecha-
nical origin, and organic remains. These beds were chiefly of clay slate
arenaceous rock, coralline and shelly limestone, and grauwacke, a grey
argillaceous sandstone, often schistose, imbedding small fragments of
quartz, flinty slate, or basanite, and clay slate, cemented together
2.7
296 Notes on the South Mahratta Country, &c. [No. 160.
by argillaceous matter. Werner, in the confined space that fell under
his observation, found both the primitive and transition schists highly
inclined, while the newer aqueous or secondary beds were horizontal ;
hence his too hasty generalizations. It is now ascertained that seconda-
ry strata and green tertiary beds are often found in nearly vertical po-
sition, and that some granites are newer than the lias and chalk ; on
the other hand, gneiss is often seen in horizontal beds, and Mr. Murchison
has lately discovered in Russia the older stratified rocks extending in
horizontal unbroken masses for the distance of nearly one thousand
miles. The value of mineral character unsupported by others, is of
small value as a test of the relative ages of stratified rocks; we see la-
custrine strata of the Kocene period identical in all their mineral cha-
racters with the secondary new-red sandstone and its associated marls,
and certain arenaceous beds in the cretaceous formations of the Alps,
and even in some tertiary deposits, which can hardly be petrologically
distinguished from the rocks of the grauwacke group.
Although it is quite possible that future discoveries may prove the
sandstone to be equivalent to the old red, and many of the rocks,
classed as transition, really to belong to that period? yet I consider it
preferable, for the present, to arrange the rocks of the S. Mahratta
country agreeably to the acknowledged geological evidence they
themselves exhibit, in addition to that of a mineral character, viz : super-
position, imbedded fragments of older rocks, intrusion with or without
alteration, conformable or non-conformable stratification, and this with
little reference to European formations. The classification will there-
fore, for the most part, be that of relative age. Not a single organic
remain, I may observe, has hitherto been discovered in the most
recent deposit in the S. Mahratta country to assist us to any conclu
sion, except recent terrestrial and fresh-water shells in the newer
kunker.
The stratified rocks will be classed in the ascending order, commen-
cing with the hypogene, or lowest series. The plutonic and trappean
rocks will succeed.
Age of Hypogene Rocks. The hypogene schists are evidently the
lowest in the group of normal rocks, and have suffered the greatest
disturbance as already observed. The lowest member in this series
is usually gneiss, and the highest either marble or clay slate: but
there are many exceptions to this remark.
1845. | Notes on the South Mahratta Country, &c. 297
Age of Limestone. Christie has classed with the hypogene schists under
’ transition, the limestones of Kulladghi and Bagulcotta ; but from extensive
observation of this rock, here and in other parts of India, I am inclined to
think it, with its associated slates and shales, of more recent origin, prin-
cipally from its resting on the gneiss, &c. in usually unconformable stra-
tification, often dipping but a few degrees over large tracts, and its
more intimate association with the sandstone which caps it; these rocks
being usually seen together. The limestone is inclined near Kulladghi
at an angle of 25°, but this disturbance is confined to areas of small ex-
tent, speedily recovering its usual little inclined position. In some lo-
calities, as near Ryelcherro and Juldroogum in the Ceded Districts, it
is seen to alternate with the sandstone. Traces of coal have been dis-
covered in a limestone in the Hydrabad country, which appears identi-
cal with the Kurnool and Kulladghi limestones.
Sandstone. The sandstone, though sometimes alternating, and
often in conformable strata, with the limestone, is on the whole less
disturbed, as just observed ; and generally appears in almost horizontal
strata, particularly in the hills south of the Malpurba. On the north
bank of this river the sandstone beds have suffered more disturbance,
and Christie observed them dipping at an angle of 40° to the N. W.
at Chick Nurgoond, resting on vertical hypogene schists, (tale slate).
In the N. E. portion of the district the sandstone of the Sitadonga
hills rests on vertical chlorite and silicious schists, with a dip towards
the N. E. varying from 5° to 28°. In the N. W. portion, near
Gokauk, the stratification is obscure, the beds appearing as thick and
nearly horizontal tabular masses. Where the strata are horizontal, the
hills which they compose run in long, low, flat-topped, wall-like ridges
terminating like trap elevations rather abruptly, and their sides often
presenting mural precipices. These ranges usually run in correspond-
ing elevations, averaging about 200 feet from the surface of the plain.
The maximum thickness of the deposit perhaps does not exceed 400
feet.
From their being sometimes in unconformable stratification with the
limestone, and imbedding fragments of its cherts, it might be infer-
red that an interval of plutonic disturbance took place between the
periods of their deposition ; though we have not as yet sufficient evi-
dence to refer them to two distinct geological epochs. Basanite,
298 Notes on the South Mahratta Country, §c. [No. 160.
quartz, hornblende, actynolite, and other of the hardest fragments of
the hypogene and granitic rocks are occasionally seen in the sandstone,
but rarely pieces of gneiss or of the granite mass itself,—a cireumstance
indicating great trituration of its components prior to consolidation.
With regard to mineral character, the limestones and sandstones of the
S. Mahratta country resemble those of the Devonian groupe per-
haps more than any other, but it has been already remarked what little
reliance is to be placed on this test of the age when unsupported by
other evidence ; more particularly as organic remains have been
discovered in the sandstones of Hydrabad and Nagpore, supposed to
be identical with those of the S. Mahratta country, which would
indicate a more recent era. These fossils are a hollow compressed body,
of a deep black colour and compact structure, the centre of which is
filled with sandstone, and supposed to be a vegetable by Mr. Mal-
colmson, who discovered it in the sandstone hill of Won. The others
from the sandstone in the vicinity of Nagpore were discovered by
Lieutenant Munro, H. M. 36th, and are impressions of plants which re-
semble the Glossopteris Danceoides of the Burdwan coal field, as figured
by Royle. With these plants impressions were found, which Mr.
Malcolmson conceives to be not unlike those of the large bony scales
of the sauroid fish of the carboniferous and old red sandstone rocks,
especially those of the latter. Mr. Malcolmson showed me these speci-
mens at Bombay, and I agree with him that these last impressions were
too imperfect to justify any opinion as to their real nature. As he
justly remarks, in a subject so new, and I may add as likely to afford so
important a key to the classification of the rocks of India with those
of Europe, no indication should be overlooked. The occurrence of a
Glossopteris in strata imbedding organic remains of the coe
groupe, would be novel and interesting.
I am not aware that the diamond, a marked mineral characteristic
of the sandstones of the Ceded Districts occurs in the Eastern Ghauts
from the Pennaur to north of the Kistnah, and which as faras a peculiar
mineral characteristic can perhaps identify rocks, identifies it with the
diamond sandstones of Nagpore, in which the fossils alluded to as dis-
covered by Mr. Munro occur, and those of Punnah in Bundlecund,
has hitherto been discovered in the sandstone of the S. Mahratta
country. <A bed of anthracite three feet broad and 200 feet long, has
1845. ] Notes on the South Mahratta Country, &c. 299
lately been discovered in the sandstone of the Goond country, and
traces of it exist in the sandstone N. W. of Nagpore.
Laterite. Next in order of superposition to the sandstone comes the
overlying trap; but adopting the arrangement of Lyell, I shall place
it and the granitic rocks apart from those that have a confessedly
bedded structure.
Laterite was classed both by Voysey and Christie with the overlying
trap; by the former as a volcanic rock. Christie has not given an
Opinion as to its origin. It has been thought of volcanic origin,
principally from its apparently unstratified and non-fossiliferous charac-
ter, and being frequently associated with trap rocks. It however oc-
casionally possesses a distinctly stratified and conglomerate character,
and passes into a loose coarse sandstone, as at Pondicherry, imbedding
silicified wood, and at Beypoor, on the Malabar Coast it passes into
a loose sandstone imbedding layers of lignite. General Cullen was
the first to discover lignite and carbonized seeds in the laterite of
Quilon and Travancore. He now writes me, that he has discovered ex-
tensive beds of lignite in the laterite formation of these provinces.
Some geologists suppose it is the result of the weathering still in
progress of granitic and trap rocks im sit#. The fact of its imbedding
rolled fragments of sandstone when resting on granite, and the beds of
lignite and silicified wood it contains, militate strongly against this
theory : and independently of these facts, nothing is more common in la-
teritic tracts than to see a hill of trap or of hornblende, gneiss or other
hypogene schists capped with a thick bed of laterite, while the adja-
cent hill, composed of an exactly similar rock, and equally exposed to
the action of the weather, is quite bare of laterite. I have examined beds
of laterite resting on trap and amygdaloid imbedding calcedonies and
jasper, but have not hitherto detected in the former any fragments of
these tough silicious minerals, which are found to resist successfully
even the attrition of the most rapid streams of India, long after the
imbedding trap has disappeared and been lost in alluvial sands, and
carried across the Peninsula into the bed of the ocean.
Their occurrence, however, particularly at the point of contact, would .
not prove that the laterite was formed from the upper portions
of the subjacent trap weathered in sit#. A detrital and mechanical
origin like that of the sandstone, would carry into it the harder un-
a —— =
en
300 Notes on the South Mahratta Country, sc. [No. 160.
weathered nodules of the rocks from which it was derived. I have also
seen laterite resting on limestone without a traceable particle of lime in
its composition. This could not have been limestone weathered in siti.
The fact of one hill being capped with laterite, and its neighbour
being left bare, is a circumstance also militating against another theory
adopted by some Indian geologists, viz. that of its alluvial origin from
causes now existing. It is impossible to see the laterite capping in
tabular strata, as at Beder, hills of trappean or hypogene rocks separat-
ed by vallies, wide plains or elevations, in which nothing but the latter
rocks are seen, without coming to the conclusion that the beds of
laterite were once continuous over these spaces, and stripped off by
waters of which nothing but the trace of denudation now remains.
Natural sections often remind one forcibly of that striking instance of
denudation of the red sandstone, on the N. W. coast of Ross-shire
given by McCulloch in his Western Isles, Vol. II. p. 93, pl. 31, fig. 4.
The annexed diagram is a section taken on the W. coast, between
Honawer and Sedashegur.
The rarely fossiliferous character of this iron clay or ferruginous clay,
as it has been called, which has puzzled some geologists,and inclined
others to the theory of its voleanic origin, may be in some measure at-
tributed to its highly ferriferous nature, often approaching that of an
ore of iron. It is a fact, and, as Lyell observes, (Geol. Vol. II. p. 102,)
one not yet accounted for, that scarcely any fossil remains are preserved
in stratified rocks in which this oxide of iron (derived from the disin-
tegration of hornblende or mica) abounds; and when we find fossils in
the new or old red sandstone in England, it is in the grey and usually
calcareous beds that they occur.
I have often observed, particularly in the W. Ghauts, and on the Ma-
labar and Concan coasts, where the rains fall heaviest, that the granitic,
hypogene and trappean rocks containing most iron, weather into fer-
ruginous and coloured clays that sometimes, lithologically speaking,
resemble laterite, and these when that rock is near, cause the appearance
of their passing into it. I havealso observed beds of considerable mag-
nitude of an impure oxide of iron in gneiss and hornblende, sometimes
cellular and pisiform (and from which much of the iron in laterite has
doubtless been derived); but when we look up from the microscopic view
afforded by these slowly weathering blocks of rock and beds of ore in siti,
A
fre
API ll
ij B
GIS ji) fyi
oe
LL TTL LLL
Cc
‘ Wien 7.
A
Section shewing denudation of
Laterite belwen Honawer and
Nedas hig hir . Capiain Newbold
greed
pin he
1845. | Notes on the South Mahratta Country, &e. 301
and cast our eyes upon even the present extent of laterite over the sur-
face of Southern India, the thickness of its beds (at Beder 200 feet,) its
flat-topped ranges of hills, the great gaps effected in their continuity
evidently by aqueous causes no longer in action, its often elevated
position above the drainage of the country, its imbedding layers of lig-
nite from silicified wood, and occasionally water-worn pebbles of dis-
tant rocks, we find we can no more attribute its origin to the weather-
ing of rocks zm situ, or to their present transported detritus, than that
of the old sandstones of Europe to the sandy disintegration now in
progress of accumulating by rains around the bases of older sandstone,
granite, and hypogene rocks, although a mineral resemblance exists as
in the case of the true and pseudo-laterites.
Having said thus much to warrant my placing laterite among the
rocks of aqueous and mechanical origin, I shall proceed to notice it as
it occurs in the South Mahratta country. It may be remarked, passim,
that fossil shells have been scarcely ever found in the tertiary Rhe-
nish brown coal beds, though in the vicinity of Bonn large blocks
have been met with of a white opaque chert, containing numerous casts
of fresh-water shells, which appear to belong to Planorbis rotundatus
and Limnea longiscata.* The laterite capping the overlying trap of the
South Mahratta country does not appear to have been invaded or
altered by it like the brown coal beds. But similar blocks of chert con-
taining fresh-water shells, viz. two species of Cypris, three of Unio, and
many individuals referable to the genera Paludina, Physa and Limnea,
and also Gyrogonites, have been discovered by Mr. Malcolmson and
myself entangled in it.
Near Kulladghi, where it reposes on the limestone, it exhibits
undoubted signs of horizontal stratification. It is never seen altered
by the granite or trap. West of Kulladghi, near Ooperhutty, beds of
a gritty sandstone loosely agglutinated, resembling that into which
the laterite passes near Beypoor on the Malabar Coast, rest in a
similarly horizontal and unaltered position on the overlying trap ;
fragments of which occur in this superimposed sandstone.
Kunker, Gravel, and Regur. That singular deposit, for so I con-
sider the Regur, is superimposed on all the rocks that I have just de-
. * Lyell, Elements, Vol. I1, pp. 281-282.
302 Notes on the South Mahratta Country, $c. {No. 160.
scribed. There is frequently an intervening bed of gravel or of the older
kunker, in which the remains of a mastodon have been discovered,
near Hingoli, Nizam’s country. I have not met with gravel beds in
the South Mahratta country. The diamond is found in the gravel
beds below the Regur in the Cuddapah district. My ideas regarding the
origin of those deposits have been elsewhere stated.
Age of the Plutonic and Trappean Rocks.— Granite. From the ra-
rity of sections, it is difficult to ascertain the relative age of the granite
by the tests usually resorted to by geologists in fixing the ages of
plutonic rock, viz. :
ist. Intrusion and alteration.
2nd. Included fragments.
3rd. Relative position.
4th. Mineral character.
Christie evidently views the granite of the South Mahratta coun-
try as primitive, according to the Wernerian theory; but states that
there is a granite at Gairsuppa, in Canara, “ not so old as the common
granite of India,” which, from mineral character and association with
the gneiss and other hypogene rocks, he classes with them, in the
transition series of this school. But within the last half century it
has been ascertained that this granite, considered formerly as the
oldest of rocks, sometimes belongs even to the tertiary period, and
its presence at Gairsuppa, and in the southern portions of the South
Mahratta country, intruding into, disturbing and altering as it does,
these crystalline schists, plainly proves its posterior origin.
But there is no proof adduced of any other granite of India being
anterior to the granite of Gairsuppa, and there is every reason to be-
lieve that the granite of Gairsuppa and the Western Ghauts must rank
among the oldest granites of India, until the age of the rocks they have
altered and intruded into be satisfactorily proved to be posterior
to the other hypogene rocks that prevail so extensively over its
surface.
There is, moreover, a granite more modern than the common gra-
nite of the Western Ghauts, Gairsuppa, and indeed of India, which is
seen to penetrate the latter in veins and dykes, a fact proving its pos-
terior origin,—and which, although it has not hitherto been discovered
1845. ] Notes on the South Mahratta Country, se. 303
in the state of dykes in the sandstone and limestone, has converted the
former into quartz rock, and the shales of the latter into jasper and
chert, indicating a posterior or contemporaneous origin.
The disturbance and metamorphic effects produced by the eruption
of this granite do not appear to extend to any great distance from the
foci of plutonic disturbance. The sandstone ranges in the S. Mahratta
country are usually little inclined, particularly in the ranges S. of the
Malpurba, resting unconformably on the hypogene schists and granite, in
highly inclined stratification ; but travelling a short distance north we
find them showing more signs of plutonic disturbance, and, according
to Christie, the sandstone of Chick Nurgoond is uplifted at an angle of
40° resting on the vertical hypogene schists ; a fact indicating two eras
of plutonic disturbance.
It is a striking fact that no fragments of undoubted granite or gneiss
have been noticed in the pebbles of these,;sandstone conglomerates,
which consist chiefly of quartz, chert, jasper, basalt, flinty slate, and
the hard portions of the chloritic and actynolitic schists, the two last
rocks bearing a small per centage in relation to the rest, and those of
quartz greatly predominating in the lower beds. The inference is,
either that the attrition which converted the wreck of the pre-existing
rocks into sand and gravel was so great, as to grind down their mass
beyond the possibility of recognition, leaving nothing but fragments of
their hardest nodules and veins, or that the oldest granite was still un-
denuded, and with the gneiss at this era was as yet but partially uplift-
ed and retained its natural subordinate position.
It is certain however from the included pebbles of the flinty slate,
jasper, actynolited and chloritic schists, that the plutonic action of
granite had commenced prior to the origin of the sandstone, and had
metamorphosed or crystallized the hypogene, or rather formed schists of
the wreck of which the sandstone is formed.
If this reasoning be admitted, it is obvious that at least two epochs
of great plutonic activity have taken place. The first anterior to the
formation of the limestone and sandstone, by which the hypogene schists
were rendered crystalline and partially subverted. The second, pos-
terior; and marked by another granitic eruption, which burst up
through fissures in the old granite, altering the limestone and sand-
2uU
304 Notes on the South Mahratta Country, Sc. [No. 160.
stone. From the latter occasionally resting on the former in less dis-
turbed strata it may be inferred, that the limestone suffered some de-
gree of dislocation before the sandstone was deposited. There is little
doubt from the unaltered and highly inclined stratification of some of
the beds resting on the granite, that it must have been protruded by
this second upheaval in a solid form. Other highly inclined beds are
altered, which indicates a heated but solid state of the intruding rocks.
The third movement or series of movements by which perhaps a great
part of S. India was slowly and gently lifted up to its present elevation,
raising beds of laterite in a horizontal position to the height of 7,000
feet and upwards, appears to have taken place during the tertiary
period. This great soulvement is perhaps rather attributable to vol-
canic than plutonic action, since the granites of both eras appear to
have been raised in a solid form, and no granite of India has yet been
observed altering or intruding into tertiary rock. Possibly its pheno-
mena were connected with those attending and following the grandest
eruption of trap in the whole world, the overlying trap of Western and
Central India, which evidently took place in the tertiary period.
During these epochs, it is almost needless to say, that the surface
must have undergone various oscillations at different periods, during
which the aqueous strata were deposited, consolidated, and partially
denuded, uplifted and submerged.
Age of Basaltic greenstone. Like the granite the basaltic greenstone
is evidently of two eruptive epochs, as we see dykes of it crossed by
more recent dykes.
The greenstone of the first epoch is posterior to the older granite and
hypogene rocks which it penetrates, and with which it has been up-
lifted in a solid form; partaking of all their dislocations and abrupt
truncations. This older greenstone stops short of the sandstone ;
the conglomerates of the latter imbed pebbles of the greenstone.
The newer basaltic greenstone penetrates, and alters the lime-
stone and sandstone, but stops short of the laterite. Both rocks
are distinguished mineralogically from the tertiary or overlying traps
by their rarely assuming an amygdaloidal character, and their freedom
from agates, opals, calcedonies, zeolites, green earth, olivine, &c., so
abundant in the latter.
1845. | Notes on the South Mahratta Country, &c. 305
Age of the overlying Trap. It overlies and penetrates the sandstone
and newer basaltic greenstone, and from its altering and disturbing the
fresh-water limestones of Nirmul, and its superior position to all the
rocks of the S. Mahratta country except the laterite, kunker, and re-
gur, is referred to the tertiary epoch. It is strikingly mineralogically
distinguished from the older trap rocks, as just explained.
The order of superposition of the rocks of the S. Mahratta country
in descending order appears to be as follows :—
Regur, 7
Old kunker, |
Laterite, 6 Ist group.
Lateritic sandstone, |
Overlying trap, J
Basaltic greenstone,
Granite, 2nd group.
Sandstone, J
Basaltic greenstone, }
Granite, + 3rd group.
Hypogene schists, J
Comparison of these groups with classified European groups. There
can be little doubt of the rocks of the Ist group belonging to the
tertiary period, after what has been remarked regarding the age of the
overlying trap on which they are superimposed. The remains of the
Mastodon have been found, with other fossils pointing to the Pleiocene
division of the tertiary epoch, in the gravel and kunker below the
regur, near Hingoli, in the Nizam’s territories.- No fossils have been
yet found in the regur ; but its position, extent, thickness, and the im-
possibility of accounting for it by causes now existing, warrant me
perhaps in referring it to an epoch anterior to the post-Pleiocene or
historic period.
2nd Group. No sufficient data for fixing exactly the age of these
rocks. The presence of coal and other mineral and fossil indications
point to the Devonian or carboniferous groups.
3rd Group. The clue to the approximate age of these rocks will
be found in properly fixing those of the second ; a point of great impor-
306 Notes on the South Mahratta Country, &c. [No. 160.
tance in the geology of India, and to which I would fain call the attea-
tion and endeavours of all geological observers to fix, by searching for
fossils, &c. If the rocks of the second group belong to the Devonian
series, the hypogene schists must be either the rocks of the Silurian or
Cumbrian series, as their unconformable stratification points out a
greater age than the less disturbed and superimposed beds of lime-
stone and sandstone. We need not even despair of finding fossils in
gneiss, chlorite, and mica slates of India, since that illustrious geologist
Elie de Beaumont displayed to the wondering eyes of the Savans of
Europe the instructive fact of belemnites, (a fossil of the chalk period, )
in chlorite schist. :
An Account of the early Ghiljéees. By Major R. Lexcu, C. B., late Po-
litical Agent, Toran Ghiljdees at Kdldt-i- Ghiljdee. From the Political
Secretariat of the Government of India.
[The character of part of this paper is somewhat of a lighter order than
usually appears in our pages: but our readers will at once understand the
motives which have led us most readily to avail ourselves of it, almost as
written. The traditions of the Ghilzaees recorded by Major Leech, give a
valuable insight into the manners and habits, the social condition and the
ordinary train of thoughts, of a race of men very little known. The acute
observation of the writer of the memoir has let no point escape him which
may illustrate the real character of the curious tribe whom he describes ;
and the student in ethnography will, we are convinced, be thankful for the
exposition of social peculiarities thus afforded to him.—Ebs. |
The following account has been compiled from notes taken partly
when Political Agent at Candahar in 1839-40, and partly while in politi-
cal superintendence of the expedition under Colonel Chambers against
the Toran Ghiljaees in 1841, and while Political Agent at Kalat-i-
Ghiljaee in 1841-42, (during the siege,) and partly from a written
1845.) An account of the early Ghiljaees. 307
account drawn up at my request by Mulla Pairo Lodeen, who staid
with me throughout the siege.
The Ghiljaees, as will be shewn, are only Afghans by the mother’s
side, being by the father’s descended from the Sultans of Ghor.
The word is properly Ghalzo’e: from ghai, thief; and zo’e, son—mean-
ing the son of theft, the fruit of a clandestine amour. The Ghiljaees them-
selves give this derivation of the word, although they would appear to
be ashamed of it by turning Ghalzo’e into Ghiljaee. The Persians have
out of compliment turned it for them into Ghilzye.
On the 28th August 1841, while making a tour through the, till
then, unvisited Ghiljaee tribes of the Arghandah valley, a Rokhee Mulla
of some reputed sanctity and respect in the tribes, said they were all
Ghiljaces, as the Persians pronounced the word Ghiljyes as the Afghans
and themselves did, from being descended from Ghilj the son of king
Bet.
In my journal kept during the siege, I find the following memoran-
dum, dated 22nd April 1842.
** May not the word Ghilzye be derived from aoe Ghalech. (The
Persian vowel mark zer having in Afghanee the pronunciation of a
in hare); and Ghalech being often written for = ahd Kilech: and the
tribe may have been called Ghalechees, or descendants of Ghalech. An
acquaintance, a great grandson of Ashraf-khan, is named Ghalech-
khan.”
A mistake has very generally been committed by supposing the ter-
mination zye or zai to the names of Afghan tribes to be derived from
the Persian word for to be born. The word is a corruption of the
Pushtoo zo’e a son, and a true Afghan of the sarah or country would
tell you he was a Popalzo’e or Babakanzo’e as the case might be; a Po-
palite or Babakanite; and he would not say he was a Popalzye or Ba-
bakanzye, on pain of being abused as a spai zaman (comes filius) Par-
seeban.
It is related that the Caliph Abdul Malik, son of Marwan, despatched
his commander-in-chief Hujaj, son of Yoosaf, a Sakufee by tribe, to
subdue Ghoristan. It was then under two princes, Shah Jalaladeen
and Shah Muazzadeen, sons of Sultan Bahram who had the country
given him in grant by Alee, the cousin of Mahammad, on a visit he paid
308 An account of the early Ghiljaees. [No. 160.
the Hazrat at Medina. The great grandfather of Sultan Bahram was
Soosee, alias Mahammad Sam Ghoree, who first introduced Islamism
into Hindustan. It was he that built the fort of Sealkot, and that
killed Raja Pathoora.
The Sultans of Ghor were descended from Zohauk, nephew of Ibas,
son of Esam, son of Sam, son of Noah, who expelled Jamsheed from
Persia.
Shah Husein, the son of Shah Muazzadeen, emigrated on the invasion
to the country of Shaikh Batanee, between Cabool and Candahar, by
whom he was received into his family. Batanee had a daughter, with
whom the tradition runs; Shaikh Husein formed a connection, unknown
to the parents, until their daughter’s appearance betrayed her.
The Ghiljaees still preserve this time-honored custom, judging from
several cases that came under my notice, the most prominent of which
occurred at Kalat-i-Ghilzye. A young unmarried lady of the aristocratic
Shah Alam Khel branch of Rokhee Ghiljaee, was safely delivered of a
son and heir, the father of which, her intended, was no less than a holy
Sayad of Pishing, then absent in India, It appears that they were en-
gaged, and at liberty therefore to have their Namzat-bazee; but as the
Sayad had not paid up the whole of the marriage settlement by some
100 rupees, the parents would not allow him to take herhome. He
therefore resorted to this Ghiljaee mode of cheapening his bargain.
I met him afterwards in India, but did not enquire whether his lady
was yet with her parents or with his own.
It is very probable that the Afghans, if they were really Israelites,
should have been posted by their Cabtu Bukhtanasar on the confines of
his dominions towards India. We find Sultan Shahabudeen bringing
down the Afghans from Ghor and posting them on the borders of India,
and this system of colonizing an unquiet border with convicts seems to
have been much in vogue. Thus we find the tribe of Hazarahs far from
their present country, posted in the plains of the Punjab below Cash-
meer. A colony of Persians was planted in Cabool, and one of Ghiljaees
in Balkh. And between the Ghiljaees and Duranees on the Candahar
road, we find ten solitary houses of Hazarahs, so called by the Afghans,
at Asya Hazarah ; no doubt a larger colony was once posted there to
keep the peace between those two rival tribes.
1845.] An account of the early Ghiljaees. : 309
I find from my journal, that on the 28th September 1844, I sent
for their chief men to gain information. They informed me they were
originally Uzbecks from Turkistan, and are by tribe Sadlechees. They
have the water of the canal called Bokanah. They furnished six men
and one officer to the Duranees, and were enrolled among the Baneezais.
But to return to the lovers. On Shaikh Batanee and his wife discover-
ing the state of their daughter’s affections and person, they became most
anxious to have the couple married; but family pride was in the way, and
they were anxious first to know concerning the syal or rank in society
of their guest. He was therefore questioned, and gave himself out as a
prince born, and invited them to ascertain the fact by despatching some
one to Ghor, his native country. This was done, and a confirmation of
Husein’s affirmation attained in time, it is to be hoped, to allow the
babe to enter without shame into the world. MHusein is said also to
have married the messenger’s daughter, in consideration of his taking
the trouble of going all the way to Ghor ; others say, that on his return
he refused to confirm Husein’s assertion until he had promised to marry
his daughter also. This is probable, and according to the character of
an Afghan Cossid, getting a promise made before imparting good
news.
* * ** * * 2 * 2 * 2 *
The Ghiljaees say, that Sultan Mahmood of Ghuznee first brought
them down from the Koki-kase or Koki-roh, and they began to dig
Karez, (vide the Karez of the Sulemanees near Ghuznee). Malcolm (I
think) says they were nearly exterminated by that monarch, as a punish-
ment for a party of them having plundered his baggage, and that they
only regained strength in the time of Timoor, __
The first person of note known to the present inhabitants was Sultan
Malakhe, a Tokhee.
It is probable that Mahammad the progenitor of the Mahammad-zye
Tokhees, and Isaac the progenitor of the Isak-zye Hotakees were both
* Note.—We have to apologise for omitting a brief, and apparently carefully com-
piled list of the genealogies of the Ghilzye families. It would be of interest were cir-
cumstances such as to place any of our readers in immediate communication with this
tribe; but, as it is, we may be perhaps excused omitting it.—Eps.
310 An account of the early Ghiljaees. [No. 160.
men of note in their day, from these tribes being considered the aristro-
cratic ones.
I saw a Rakam of Aurangzeb, dated the 9th of Jamadee’l-awal,
1022 A. H., appointing Malik Malakhe to the charge of the high road
from Kalat to Karatoo, (the former is in the Tamak valley, and the latter
in the Arghandah,) to protect it from Hazarah robbers. Aurangzeb no
doubt found Malakhe the most powerful of the Ghilzye chiefs at
enmity with the Hazarahs; as patronizing an officer of his own creation
at court, he no doubt found very different from supporting a newly
created chief over his tribe.
The Hotakees I suppose from being removed from the high road were
not required by Aurangzeb, and therefore remained unnoticed; that
monarch’s sole object being to secure his communication with Ghuznee,
Cabool and Hindustan, and not coveting revenue from their Karazees,
and almond orchards.
The Hazarahs are sid to have been driven out of the Arghandah
valley in four days.* Malakhe is said on this short campaign to have
received valuable co-operation from the Khan-khel chief Mane, whose
descendant I find from my journal visited me on the 13th August 1841.
Khuram says he is the son of Taj Mahammad, the son of Avghan, the
son of Khajah, the son of Mane, the son of Taoos, the son of Daroo, the
son of Habeeb, the son of Khan, the son of Parwat, the son of Barak by
his wife Khatah, the son of Mahammad, the son of Yoonus, the son
of Rahmand, the son of Tokh, the son of Baroo, the son of Tolad, the
son of Ghiljye. I have mentioned the descendants of Malakhe in a
former part of this account.
At the time that Malakhe was chief of the whole Toran tribe, (both
Hotakees and Tokhees,) Jabbar it is said was chief of the Ibrahim
Ghiljyes.
The Peer-khanah, or spiritual fatherhood of Malakhe were the So-
deen (Ala-udeen properly) Sayads.
Malakhe had a daughter, by name Nazo ; who was one day playing
below Kalat-i-Ghiljye with girls of her own age, on the banks of the
* This might have been effected by Aurangzeb’s troops, had they known of the
existence of the Passes discovered by me in 1841. That from Kalat-i-Ghiljaee to
Surkh Sang (No. 1, Appendix,) and the other from Chasmah-i-Moosaka, via Cheeno ~
into Karatoo, (No. 3, Appendix. )
1845. ] An account of the early Ghiljdees. 31]
river Tarnak, when a Fakeer, appearing to be from Hindustan, approach-
ed the party, and said, ‘‘What good girl among you will give mea kiss ?”’
Some ran away, others hid their faces, and some abused him ; but Nazo,
throwing back her veil, and approaching, said, ‘‘ Oh Fakeer, a kiss of my
face is at your service.”
The Fakeer, to the surprise of all, instead of availing himself of the offer,
stroked her head with a fatherly hand, and said, ‘I have prayed to God
to give you three or four children; one of whom shall be a king, (Hajee
Meer-khan, alias Meer Wais).”
The father of Meer Wais (a Sodeen is the informant,) was in the em-
ploy of Malakhe, whose daughter Nazo falling in love with him, (true
daughter of Ghalzo’e,) an elopement to the Ataghar hills, occupied by
the Hotaks, was the result; who, however, for fear of Malakhe’s wrath,
refused them refuge; and they had to spend their honey-moon in the
desert hills, living principally on game.
Getting tired of this, Nazo proposed to her husband that they should
go ‘‘ Nanawat” (as supplicants) to her father, who was of a forgiving
disposition.
Having no other resource this plan was adopted, and with success.
Malakhe received them kindly, as well as some Hotakees who accom-
panied them. When giving them leave, Malakhe asked his daughter what
she would have, a chadar or veil; it being the Afghan custom that the
first time a daughter visits her father after her marriage, he gives her a
veil, She replied, “‘ The Hotaks have no land (on the Tarnak river),
kindly give me a piece of land.”
Malakhe gave her a piece of land below the Tabaksar hill, opposite
to Kalat, watered by and dependent on the Ajurghak canal; and to the
groom who led the horse she rode, he gave the land dependent on the
spring of the Jukhtaran hill close by. This Jillodar was a Kishyanee
by tribe. Others say, that Nazo got ten days and nights water right
on the canal, and her groom two. These shares are now (1841)
distinct.
Malakhe was killed in battle at Darwazye, between Inzargai and
Surkh Sang, and was buried at Ab-i-Yazee. {
The father of Meer Wais is called by the Hotaks Shah Alam. The
Tokhees contradict them, and say they only were called Shah Alam-
khels after their progenitor married a Shah Alam Tokhee’s daughter.
Bh Se
312 An account of the early Ghiljaees. [ No. 160.
This is absurd; for by the Tokhee’s own shewing, Shah Alam was
the son of Alee Malakhe’s brother, so that Nazo was not a Shah Alam-
khel.
Jabbar, the Ibrahim chief, was killed at Yayas in battle with the
Safees, and buried on the road between Cabool and Jalalabad. ‘The
place where his tomb is situated is famous for cold, wolves, and thieves,
on which account some Persian traveller has cursed the tomb. In the
course of time, Nazo gave birth to Hajee Meer-khan, alias Meer Wais,
the same who liberated his country from the Persian rule, and his
countrymen from the tyranny of Shahnawaz-khan, the Georgian
governor of Candahar.
The reasons for Meer Wais visiting Persia are found in Malcolm’s
Persia, and more in detail in the Chronicles of a Traveller. The Ghiljyes
believe that while at Mecca he demanded a sign from heaven, that he
should free his country from a foreign yoke. It was givenhim. On awak-
ing, his sword was found lying bare at some distance from the scabbard
in which he had secured it before going to sleep.
It was Shahnawaz’s penchant for wine and women, that lost the.
country for the Persians be it remembered, and he was a Faringee.
Beyond the village of Chahil Dukhtaran on the road to Chahil Zeena,
there is a slippery rock called Ang-i-Sakhshak, down which the children
of Candahar on Fridays and other holidays slide. This was one of the
scenes of Shahnawaz’s debaucheries.
The place at which he met his well-merited death was at Bela-
i-Sultan Khudadad in Argasthan—he was following or despatching 300
horse across the Band-i-gil,* on the road to Maroof, to collect revenue
from the Kakers. He was not thought worthy to be killed by the hand
of a man; so Murado, a Babee eunuch and jester, was ordered to kill
him in full durbar the day after his seizure. The following Pushtoo
Badala is still extant :
‘** Shahnawaza bujul baza,
Da Murado da las parotiya kuna waza.”
* | find from a memorandum in my journal in November 1839, that the road from Can-
dahar to Deh-i- Ambar was occupied by Popalzais, and that I proposed to make the fol-
lowing arrangements for the protection of the road beyond Deh-i-Ambar, viz:—On the
Candahar side of the Tagak Pass near some wells, a small fort to be built and eight
horsemen to be stationed ; on the other side of the Tagak Pass, at a place called Hou-
1845. ] An account of the early Ghiljdees. 313
Shahnawaz the bujul-baz, (player with the knuckles of legs of mut-
ton, 7. e. a light fellow of low habits.)
By the hand of Murado (there) you lie exposed.
Shah Ashraf was, the Ghiljaees say, killed by his cousin Shah Husen
of Candahar, (i. e. by his orders,) on his arrival at Koh-i-Mundak. Some
deny that Ashraf murdered Mahmood, believing that he died mad.
The wars of Mahmood, and his cousin and successor Ashraf in Persia,
are detailed in the Chronicles of a Traveller. The following two anec-
dotes are still told strangers visiting Candahar, connected with the
invasions of Persia : one is, that many of the Ghiljaees who accompanied
Mahmood on his expedition to Persia were mounted on bullocks, with
their ragged kosaks or felt cloaks on, and their sheep’s skin of flour
strapped to their backs, and an old iron hatchet or a sword in a broken
scabbard their only arms, just as if they were going to the water-mill
at the bottom of their native village to bring home flour, This will be
easily believed by officers who have been in Afghanistan, and have seen
after an engagement bodies of men with nothing but sticks in their
hands. When the city of Ispahan was taken, it is said that Shah Mahmood
gave his followers leave to take possession of the house that each might
enter, with every thing in it, even the widow of its owner who fell fight-
ing, for his home. That one of the handsomest palaces of Ispahan thus
fell to the lot of such a “‘ Ghool-i-Biyaban” as I have above described ;
who entered it in his above full dress, leading his bullock after him into
a splendid saloon covered with rich carpets, at the end of which was
seated the lady of the mansion surrounded by her damsels ; and back-
wards and forwards over the carpets these two animals walked, the one
looking for some thing to which he could tie his fellow.
The lady of the mansion ordered her handmaids to do all they
could to please the visitor; to take his bullock into the stable, and
divest him of his boots of sandals and tattered woollen cloak, and take
him to the bath.
This they had some difficulty in doing, as he would not consent at
first that his bullock, sandals or cloak should be taken out of his sight,
they being his only ones; and each article was surrendered after a little
dakai, a fort and six horsemen; on the Candahar side of the Gill Pass at a water-mill,
a fort and eight horsemen; on the other side of ditto, six horsemen ; at Jaknaree and
Shamai, a fort and eight horsemen. ‘The whole under Abdul Lateef-khan, Barikzai,
of Maroof.
314 An account of the early Ghiljaees. [ No. 160.
struggle, accompanied with Pushtoo abuse; the handmaids setting his
mind at ease in Persian, of which he did not understand a word, and by
signs. He was finally taken to the bath, and never had the attendant
barbers operated on such a subject before, the cracks in his huge feet
and hands being like ravines of his native hills. After cleansing him as
much as possible, and shaving his hedge hog-looking head of hair, he
was attired in trousers and shirt of red twilled cotton, the richest under
garments a man must wear, and other suitable parts of dress ; and con-
ducted back into the saloon, where a rich entertainment was laid out,
at which the lady of the mansion presided.
The Afghan finding himself more at home, determined to make
the most of his good fortune, and act the part of the master of the
house.
Observing that the trousers of the lady were of gold stuff, while his
were of common red, he insisted on an exchange; and in them went he
next morning, proud of his appearance, to Mahmood’s darbar, where his
appearance putting his illustrious tribesmen to shame, he got nothing
but a sound beating.
The second anecdote was told me on the scene of its occurrence,
the Achakzai hills, on the 23rd May 1838, while ascending the Kojak
Pass. An Achakzai who had accompanied Shah Mahmood on his
expedition to Persia, had married a rich lady of Ispahan. In the midst
of the rich repasts she provided for him, and the beautiful garden of a
hundred fountains and thousand parterres that he found himself master
of, he would sigh (between a grunt, a groan and a growl,) ‘Oh!
for my country of the thousand-holed cakes, and alas! for its Makhai
gardens.”
The lady, fancying rightly that the country that could surpass the
capital of Persia in its luxuries, must be heaven itself, determined to
return with her new husband to Afghanistan. Whatever might have
been her misgivings on the road, seeing that as they advanced the
fertility of the country decreased, her despair was at its height on
arriving at home—a khel or encampment of ghijdee, (black hair tent)
in one of the wildest parts of the Achakzai hills. But her heart broke
when she found that the thousand-holed bread was made of the vetch
called gal, which becomes honey-combed in baking (food that her slaves
would reject in Persia,) and that the Makhai gardens were nothing
1845. ] An account of the early Ghiljéees. 315
but the stony hills covered with the thorn, known by that name in
Pushtoo.
It was such uncivilized acts as the above, no doubt, that made the Per-
sians stigmatize the Afghans with the following :
Oughan i khar, Tobra ba sar;
Bakalee ba khar, Dingla ba zan:
Which the Afghans retort in the clumsy ‘“‘ Tuguogue” of Parseeban,
Da khira kurban.
Leaving the period of the Ghiljye (not Afghan) wars in Persia to the
above-mentioned authorities, I return to the seat of the tribes.
On Hajee Meer-khan (who seems to have set the fashion of perform-
ing the Haj to Mecca, as we find many Hajees among the chiefs both
Afghans and Ghiljyes about his time,) gaining possession of Candahar,
he called on the Tokhees to pay him revenue for their lands, and furnish
him with recruits for his wars, as they had not assisted him in the late
struggle. In reply, they asked how they could be expected to give up
rights that they had acquired with so much trouble, and after so many
battles.
The chiefs of the Tokhees at this time were Shah Alam, the son of
Alee, the brother of Malakhe, and the son of Shah Alam, Khushal-
khan, and they would not acknowledge the supremacy of the Hotakees ;
war therefore broke out between the tribes, and the Tokhees were
obliged at last to quit the Tarnak valley and take refuge, that is, to
retire to the Arghandah.* Others formed into two Toraks or gatherings.
The Shah Husen-khel, and other tribes about Ab-i-Tazee had their ga-
thering at Yakhav, and the Peerak-khels and other tribes around them
had their gathering at Omakai-kalat, at this time was held by the
Tokhees under Hajee Edil, the son of Malakhe, to whom are attributed
some supernatural powers.
He had a son called Bayai, a very brave and daring man; who built
a small fort on the river Tarnak, a little way from Kalat up the road ;
and the Hotakees had a fort on the other side of the river at Jukh-
taran, the Hotak gathering being at Choudai.
* I found in 184], that a threat to burn the crops they had left standing, and to fill
in their karez (irrigation tunnels, ) brought them back to the Tarnak, (month of July.)
a
a
oi ee Eee
316 An account of the early Ghiljdees. [No. 160.
Although Bayai had 100 men in his fort, he always went out alone
on his expeditions, which were directed against the opposite Hotak fort.
It was his habit at dawn to attack the people of the fort as soon as they
came out, and he sometimes brought three and four heads, and no
one dared to meet him hand to hand; at last the drinking-water of the
Hotaks became bitter, (i. e. they were hard prest) and they laid in am-
bush for him one morning ; and, hamstringing his horse first, succeeded
in killing him. On the death of Bayai, Kalat was taken possession of
by the Hotaks, and now Mahammad-khan, alias Hajee Angoo, the son
of Yaya, and nephew of Meer Wais, became governor.
About this time the report of Nadir Shah’s marching on Candahar
reached the country, and the Hotakees assembled and came to the deci-
sion that they had a new and powerful enemy in front, (Nadir Shah)
and an old one in their rear (the Tokhees,) and that it was prudent to
get rid of the enemy in the rear, and then meet the enemy in front ; there-
fore they collected their whole tribe, besides procuring 4,000 horse from
Candahar and from Puli Sangee, made a sudden attack on the Peerak-
khel Tarakut Umakai, which might be said to be empty, as the chiefs
Ashraf-khan and Allaiyar-khan, sons of Khushal, were absent on the
Arghandah to collect troops. The whole Torak was massacred, women
with child not being spared. On Ashraf-khan and Allaiyar-khan hearing
of this disaster, they took the most solemn oath an Afghan can, viz.,
Zan-talak, that they would not spend a night at home before they had
revenged themselves on the Hotakees. Zan-talak is divorcement of a
wife.
Proceeding via Mezan and Teereen, they joined Nadir Shah’s camp at
Cheenaran, and tendered their allegiance. That monarch appointed Allai-
yar-khan his deputy at Ispahan, and was ied by Ashraf-khan to Canda-
har, (Herat being taken after a siege,) which place it is said held out for
fourteen months. The heroic defence of the burj or tower of Mulla Alee,
a Ghiljye, after the fall of Candahar, deserves to be recorded. The ruins
of it are incredibly small in extent.
When Nadir was besieging Candahar, Abdul Ghafoor was governor
of Kalat-i-Ghiljye ; he with Abdul Rasool, were sons of Hajee Angoo, by
a Peerak-khel Tokhee mother. Abdul Rusool had gone to Sarobai of
the Kharotees, to collect the Ghiljyes of that neighbourhood to raise the
siege of Candahar. Nadir heard of it, and made a Chapao on the levies at
1845.] | An account of the early Ghiljdees. 317
Shibar, of whom he made a great slaughter. Here Jan Tarakee came in ;
Nadir then returned to Candahar, leaving 4,000 men to besiege Kalat ;
when it fell, Jan Tarakee was left in command.
Moosa-khan, father of Maddut-khan Isakzai Duranee, (surnamed
Dongee) conducted the Chapao on Shibar. The grave of Jan Tarakee
is on the top of Kalat, over the spring close to that of the Fakeer. He
had such power over the tribe as to have left the proverb behind him of
‘Wak da Khuda dai da Jan Tarakee.”’
“It rests with (or depends on) God;” and Jan Tarakee, one of the
present Tarakee chiefs, Arzhegee, (1st July 1841,) is the son of Ala
Verdee, the son of Suleman, the son of Jan, the son of Meer-khan, the
son of Kasam, the son of Doulat, the son of Madoo, the son of Peroz,
the son of Nassoo, the son of Mummye, the son of Ahmed, the son of
- Tarak.
Nadir Shah conferred on Ashraf-khan the chiefship of all the Ghur-
ghushtees, and avenged him on the Hotaks by leading away captive
1,500 of their families to Hindustan, Turkistan and Persia.
During the first part of the reign of Ahmed Shah, Ashraf-khan was
governor of both Kalat and Ghuznee, and he accompanied the Shah on
his first campaign to Hindustan. On his return the Duranee chiefs
persuaded the Shah, that Ashraf-khan was far too powerful for a sub-
ject. He with his son Haleem-khan were therefore invited to Candahar
and thrown into prison, and their seals were made use of to entice Allai-
yar from Ispahan, the Shah proposing to share his conquests with him.
Allaiyar-khan on his arrival was also thrown into prison, and nothing
is known how these three met their fate; the wall of their prison by
some is said to have fallen on them.
Although the above belongs to the history of Ahmed Shah, I men-
tion it, as of course his historian would neglect to do so.
I met in the Ghiljye country, which I had failed to do at Candahar,
traces of Zamroot Shah of Candahar, on the 23rd August 1841. At
Dab-i-Pighai, not far from the shrine of Taroo Nika, on the brink of the
hill, the remains of a small fort are pointed out. Here it is said that
Zamroot Shah banished a mistress, by name Lolee, to employ herself in
agriculture and gardening, and that in her ignorance she planted parch-
ed wheat. A more beautiful view than from this position on a fine
318 An account of the early Ghiljdees. [No. 160.
day cannot be imagined. Near the above-mentioned shrine is a spring,
which it is said cannot be fathomed. Its water is efficaciously used in
cases of Sujah-Sulfa (black cough) in children, which either lasts two
months or forty days, from which no child is exempt.
I have mentioned before, that the Khaleels and Momands held the
country before the Hazarahs. I remember one day on the Arghandah
asking a Tokhee chief, what a stone and mud pillar on a neighbouring
eminence was for ? It was built, said he, long before our time; it is some
boundary mark of the Khaleels and Momands. In my journal under
date 22nd January 1842, I find the following memorandum :
Shekh Mate-khaleel had (the Khalak people say) four sons and one
daughter ; Shah-i- Mardan, Kalat, Garmam, Hasan, and a daughter Jukh-
taran, who all on being buried sent forth springs of water from their
respective graves of the same quality, which retains its temperature
during winter, (it may then be seen running smoking down the hill.)
The graves are all in the neighbourhood ;—Jukhtaran, a small mound
east of Kalat, just across the Tarnak Hasan-i-Mate, above the village of
Khalak ; Garmam, (they deny the word being Garmah) west of Kalat ; and
Shah-i-Mardan, south of Kalat, a small flat-topped hill like the one over
Khalak called Tabaksar. They say that Shah-i-Mardan outlived his
brothers and sister, and boasted that as they had made streams of water,
he on his death would make a river. On account of this vanity and
presumption, the stream from his grave is the smallest of all, only sup-
plying drinking water.
In Dara’s translation of Nyamatullah’s history of the Afghans, Part II,
page 19, Chapter XX., Shekh Mati-khaleel is mentioned as chief of twelve
Sarbanni clans. Hasan-i-Mate lived, we may suppose, in the time of
Zeerak, the great grandson of Abdul, and in the time of Nahmand the
great grandson of Ghiljye, and the fort of Kalat was of course never
fortified before the spring on the top of the hill burst out ; and it may be
assumed, that it was first fortified by some royal hand, as the surround-
ing tribes would never have allowed one branch to occupy such a
commanding position.
I never succeeded in satisfactorily ascertaining whether Shah-i-Safa
or Kalat was the oldest. The former is said to have got its name from
some sick monarch, who then experienced ‘‘ Shafa’” (recovery) from his
disease. I have heard it called by some the capital of the country once
1845. } An account of the early Ghiljaees. 319
called Bakhtar; and by others, that of Zameen-i-Khawar, who is said to
have been a brother of Dawar, (Zamundawar). I have no doubt Au-
rangzeb fortified Kalat-i-Ghiljye for Sultan Malakhe, and Shah-i-Safa
for Sultan Khudakye, if he found them dilapidated. Sher-khan, we find
from the account of the early Abdalees, brother of Sultan Khudakye,
commanded at Shah-i-Safa on the part of the king of Delhi.
I had almost forgot to mention, that the Moosa-khel Tokhees are
divided into Buran-khels, Nazar-khels and Khwaidad-khels; and that
the latter are divided into Shakee-khels and Mamee-khels.
Although the account of the early Ghilzyes ought to end here, I can-
not forego giving an abstract translation of Mulla Pairo’s whole ac-
count.
Mahammad Ameen-khan, the son of Ashruf, and Rahmatullah-khan
the son of Allaiyar, on hearing of the fate of their fathers fled to the
Suleman-khel country to Zarmut and Kalawaz.- Azam-khan, the son
of Ashruf, and some other children were led captive from Kalat to Za-
meen-dawar. From this place effecting their escape, they fled to the
Persian court, and from it received the countries of Khukees and Ner-
masher. Ahmed Shah conferred the chiefship of the Tokhees and Kalat
on Soorkai-khan Babakarzai, who was shortly after murdered by the
Mahammad-zai Takhees.
Soorkai-khan had two sons, Sayud Rahmat-khan and Lashkaree-
khan ; the former accompanied the Shah on his campaigns, and the lat-
ter was stationed at Kalat.
On the 26th August 1841, I saw a descendant of his, Khaleel-khan,
son of Rahmat, son of Hajee Munsoor, son of Usman Ghanee, (call-
ed Surkai Sultan by Nadir, and Khoja-khan by. Ahmed Shah), son
of Joga, son of Meer Hazar, son of Taooz, son of Kasum, son of
Utman, son of Suleman, son of Babakar, son of Shamal, son of Yoonus,
son of Rahmand, son of Tokh, son of Baroo, son of Tolad, son of
Ghiljye.
Sometime after the accession of Timoor Shah, Mahammad Ameer-
khan was invited from the Suleman-khel-by that monarch, and made
chief of Kalat and of the Tokhees and Hazarahs; and on Timoor Shah
marching from Candahar to Cabool, Mahammad Ameen (Amo) Khan
paid his respects with 100 Suleman-khel swars at Pali Sangee, and re-
ceived a dress of honor, and other marks of the royal favor: at the same
2yY
320 An account of the early Ghiljdees. [No. 160.
time Noorulla-khan, son of Hajee Angoo, was created chief of the Hota-
kees, with the flattering title of Ikhlas Kulee-khan, and the revenue of
the countries of Dera Ismail-khan, Daman, Banoo and Urgoon. He
was on his death succeeded by his son, Abdu Raheem-khan.
On Azad-khan declaring independence in Cashmeer, Amo-khan was
at Herat, from which place the Shah sent for him and despatched him
with Sardar Maddut-khan Duranee at the head of a force to that pro-
vince. In the battle that was fought with Azad-khan, Amo-khan was
shot by some one of his own party at the back of the head, the ball .
coming out at one of his eyes: his corps was brought to Kalat to be
buried. He left three sons, Nealee Nyamut-khan, Futteh-khan and
Meer Alam-khan.
On the accession of Zaman Shah, Walee Mahammad-khan (with the
title of Walee Nyamut-khan) succeeded his father, being very young,
and Moladad-khan Moosa-khel was his naib, or deputy.
On Shahabudeen-khan, the son of Ramatullah-khan, coming into
notice, a feud broke out in the tribe of Tokhees. The rise of Shahabu-
deen is thus accounted for. The Ameen-ul-mulk was by tribe a Babee, and
having once in darbar spoken rather sharply to Walee Nyamut-khan,
the latter foolishly allowed himself to retort with an old Pushtoo pro-
verb. From that day Shahabudeen was taken by the hand, the Ameen-
ul-mulk supplying him from his own private funds. The tribe arrang-
ed themselves in two parties, and Kalat was sometimes in the possession
of one, and sometimes in that of the other. In one of the many
skirmishes that took place, Moladad-khan, the Tokhee deputy was killed.
On one occasion some horses of Shah Zaman’s coming with a caravan
from Cabool, were plundered by some Tokhee robbers of the clan of.
Koortah-khel. Immediately on hearing of it, Walee Nyamat-khan with a
few of his Yassawals pursued them. The robbers took to the hills, and
Walee Nyamat-khan was killed by them while storming them. His
corpse was conveyed to Kalat, and buried with his father’s.
Fatteh-khan soon after avenged his brother’s death, by decapitating
several of the robbers, and making the rest take refuge in India; he
hung up the heads below Kalat.
Shahabudeen-khan and Fatteh-khan were engaged in their quarrels
until the war between the Ghilzyes and Duranees broke out, which
occurred in the following manner.
1845.] An account of the early Ghiljdees. 321
Shah Mahmood from Candahar had made one march beyond Kalat,
and Shah Zaman from Cabool had arrived at Aghojan ; his chief Sardar
Ahmed-khan Noorzye being with the advanced guard one stage ahead,
(at Tazu) his defection from which place to Mahmood Shah caused the
overthrow of Zaman Shah’s power.
This pad-shah gardush, or revolution among the Duranees, occurring
in the heart of the Ghilzye country, suggested to that tribe the present
as a favourable opportunity to declare their independence, and make an
attempt to establish a Ghilzye kingdom.
Abdu Raheem-khan Hotakee was declared king, and Shahabudeen
his Vazeer; his hearty co-operation being secured by the former giving
him his daughter Sahab Jan, (with whom when in her father’s house he
had been in love,) the wife of the defeated Shah Zaman, and mother of
the princes Nasar, Kaisar and Mansoor, with all her jewels, and hand-
some carpets, and numerous cooking utensils. Shahabudeen-khan was
left to stop communication on the high roads, and Abdu Raheem-khan
went towards Cabool to raise the Suleman-khel. Troops were detached
from Cabool, and the Ghilzyes were defeated; the Ibrahim Ghilzyes
losing 5 or 6,000 men. Abdu Raheem-khan retired on Kalat; and a
Duranee force having marched from Candahar, the Ghilzyes left their
strong position on the hill to meet them, (Fatteh-khan had already gone
over to the Duranees). The battle was fought between Jaldak and Umakai
on the ridge called in Persian ‘‘ Tappah-i-Surkh,” and in Pushtoo “ Sirah
Ghah.”’ The Ghilzyes were defeated ; the Tokhees losing 7 or 800 men.
The Hotakees being chiefly horsemen, escaped comparatively unscathed.
Winter put an end to further hostilities. This year 1802 a. p., is still
remembered by the Ghilzyes as, the Sal-i-Katul, or year of massacre.
The chiefs on the Ghiljye side were Abdu Raheem-khan Hotakee and
Shahabudeen-khan Tokhee; those on the Duranee side. were Abdul
Majud-khan Barik-zai, Saidal-khan Alako-zai, Azam-khan Popal-zai,
Shadee-khan Achak-zai, (Arzbegee) and Samandar-khan Bame-zai.
In the ensuing spring Ahmed-khan Noorzye marched with a force
from Cabool. On his arrival at Hulan Rabak, the Jalal-zai Tokhees under
Mulla Zafran, a grandson of Malakhi, opposed him; but were defeated
with aloss of 600 men. Ahmed-khan continued his march to Candahar,
and brought out a large Duranee force with guns and shaheens. This
time the Tokhees under Shahabudeen-khan and Fatteh-khan, kept to
a<@
322 An account of the early Ghiljaees. [ No. 160.
the hill of Kalat, out of which very strong position every attempt of the
Duranees to dislodge them failed, with loss of men.
The Duranees failing at Kalat, determined to carry away the Ghiljye
families which had been left for security on the Arghandah; and they
boasted of this intention, calling to the Ghiljyes on the hill to ask
Dara-khan if he had any message to send by them to his women and
children. After the Duranees had started for the Arghandah, Dara-khan
taking his swars by a short road arrived at the Tarak or encampment, in
time enough, during the night to throw up a sangar or entrenchment
of loose stones.
The Duranee detachment arrived in the morning, and were thrice re-
pulsed from the sangar; but being disciplined troops, they were not
easily to be defeated.. At this time some of the occupants of the san-
gar who were not fighting for their honor (wives,) left the sangar and
fled.. The Duranees under cover of their laden ponies and mules, made
another attack, which proved successful, and eight members of one fami-
ly were cut down on the one carpet on which they were sitting. The
Duranees lost 100 men.
This was the last battle between the Duranees, Tokhees and Hota-
kees. After this Abdu Raheem-khan and Shahabudeen-khan retired
to the Mammye hills. Shahzadah Shuja-ul-Mulk had also taken re-
fuge in the Kaker country, where he organized a powerful faction, which
Shahabudeen-khan and Fatteh-khan Babakar-zai joined, as did Shakar-
ulla-khan, the son of Abdu Raheem-khan Hotakee. On Shuja-ul-Mulk
becoming Shah, Fatteh-khan and Shakarulla-khan attended on him;
but Shahabudeen-khan never did as long as he lived, for which the
Shah never forgave him; and hearing of his having built a fort in Nawak,
Gulistan-khan Achak-zai, governor of Peshawar, was despatched to
destroy it ; Fatteh-khan Babakar-zai accompanying him. On enter-
ing the district of Nawak, so secure was the Achak-zai chief that Sha-
habudeen-khan would shut himself up in his fort, that he accepted
Fatteh-khan’s invitation to dinner at his place, Jameeyat.
Shahabudeen-khan getting intelligence of this, sallied out with his
cavalry and fell upon the Duranees as they were carelessly straggling
on to their stage, and routed the cavalry, killed the artillery men, burnt
the gun carriages, and spiked the guns, which remained there all the
winter. Next spring Sohbat-khan Popal-zai, being detached from Cabool
1845. | An account of the early Ghiljdees. 323
with a force, recovered and mounted the guns, and made use of them for
several days without effect against the fort walls, which remained entire
until destroyed by British Sappers in the autumn of 1839.
Shahabudeen-khan and Fatteh-khan for a long time were played
off against each other by the tribe, and the enmity existing between
them was considerably increased by Shahabudeen-khan’s brother Meer
Mahammad (whose praises as a bold soldier are still sung,) being killed
by Fatteh-khan, in the district of Khakah. This enmity continued un-
abated until the death of Fatteh-khan, and the two rival chiefs had ge-
_ nerally two or three fights every season, (harvest.) On the death of:
Fatteh-khan, Shahabudeen-khan made the usual mourning visit to his
son, (the present) Samad-khan, and this long-standing quarrel was then
made up.
Samad-khan married a daughter of his, giving a daughter in return to
his grandson, Mansoor-khan.
This brings the Toran Ghiljye history down to a tolerable modern pe-
riod, and nothing remains to be noticed, but a few particulars regarding
the forces furnished to the Duranee kings by the Ghiljyes.
The Andadees furnished 600 horse as did the Tarakees in the follow-
ing proportion.
Babadeen-khels 120, Sak-khels 120, Peroz-khels 60, Tsoil-khels 60,
Gurbuz-khels 120, and Na-khels 120.
The Hotakees furnished 500 as did the Shamal-zais, including the
Babakar-zais 500, and the Tokhees furnished 1,000.
The Tokhees received 1,60,000 Tabrezee rupees (10 annas each) per
annum thus :—
1064 Swars at 100, HE & oF .. 1,06,400
Mausabdars, (officers,) .. oa me on 35,600
Hakim, (chief,) .. si es 4. he 18,000
1,60,000
The distribution of the Tokhees, as follows :
Ashoor-khan says, Meerza Pairo says,
Kishyanees, uE iy, fF Bargoue:. EK .. 66
Bata-khel, si ia fe VEO Jag a 1208136
Jalal-zai, fe 8, Seer i ares ie Jes-h64
Pero-zai, Me el ee ee de .. 140
324 An account of the early Ghiljaees.
Ashoor-khan says,
Baso-khel, en i sth aati
Aiyoob-zai, as aii » eh oeties
Meeran-zai, os ine ind Ah O4
Noor-khel, ry sis 2 eel
Mahammad-zai, .. rd .» 830
Aka-zai, Af ay » Sforek
1,006
os
[No. 160.
Meerza Pairo says,
33
The distribution of the Mahammad-zais is as follows:
Peerak-khel, sie sect O86
Kalloo-khel, 4 anne? Umur-khel,
Isse-zai, .. i Jes Seekak,
Fakeer-zai, at els Hasan-khel,
Babree, .. is es 7 Adam.zai,
Burhan-khel, als dd ? —-Hotak-zai,
Pato-zal, .. oe wi AQ Akrabe-zai,
Moosa-zal, ths 9. 7 Moosa-khel,
Karmoo-khel, .. ahi hag? Saee-zal, ..
Bazik-zai,
Khan-khel,
Buhlol-zai,
Nato-zal, .. is os
Peerwalee-khel, .. oe 9
The Jalal-zai horsemen were thus divided :
Peroz-khel, ts eee) Nano-khel,
Bahram-khel, ae .. 43 Siya-zal, ..
Dawut-khel, bas pe se Bahlol-khel,
Najo-khel.,. . oe yagi Sg
The Pero-zai horsemen were thus divided :
Sayud-khel, ee nee 7
Asho-zal,.. ag ie Be
’ Trakee, ..
Sure-zai, ..
Shah Husen-khel,
ol
29
The Meeran-zais say that in the time of Sayud Rahmat-khan they
furnished 133 men in the following proportion :
Nuhradeen, ay .. 14 Sen-khel, ..
Akhe-zai.,. . as .» fo Moghal-zai,
Uhwa-zai and Kute-zai,.. 22
oe) 09
28
1845. ] An account of the early Ghiljdees. 32
The distribution of the Hotakees was as follows ;
Malee-zai, : wien 24 Maroof-zai, i pe pes) |
Khade-zai, ee # 9 Utman-khel, 12
Tadzak, .. bah tis lel Isak-zal, .. a 70
Barat-zai, . . se «dual 6 Aka-zai, .. 16
Ramee-zai, 70 Baee-zai, .. 25
Umar-zai, 12 Baba-zai, . . 6
Toon-zai, .. . 34 Saghad-zai, 32
Tahiree, 7 Alee-zai, . . Hh by 8G
Saut-khel, St Lier ork Polady ih. 72 44 head ag
Eesaf-khel, Ld Siam l6 Tahiree, .. ue coe 6
Issozai, .. oe ee 1
Again the distribution of the Isak-zai Hotakee’s 69 men is as follows :
Kutte-zai, 14 Hade-zai, .. 25
Kudeen-zai, Ye) 29 7 Umar-zai,. . *, #1 7
Kundle-zai,.. .. Greely Mandeen-khel, .. at 2
The Sursat, or provisions for the royal army in its march through the
Ghiljye country was thus collected :
Kala-i-Ghiljye, 4-5 Hotaks, 0-5 Tokhees.
Sar-i-Asp, Babakar-zais.
Tazee, Mahammad-zais, Moosaka, Pero-zais and Jalal-zais.
OV
Nothing now remains but to note the locations of the different tribes.
The Tokhees are to be found in the Arghandah valley, the Tarnak
valley, the Khakak valley and in Nawak.
The Hotakees are, generally speaking, found in Marghah, and in the
Syorye, (shady side) and Peetao, (sunny side) of the Bare-ghar an
d
Surkh-koh hills, and more particularly speaking, the Isak-zais are
found in Marghak and Ataghar.
The Malee-zais in Girdezangal and Gha Bolan.
The Barat-zais in Roghanai.
The Aka-zais in Kharnai and Dumandia.
The Tun-zais in Syorye.
The Umarzais at Mandav.
The Sagharees (Saghadais) at Mandah.
The Ramee-zais at Ataghar, and the Baee-zais at Sorah and Kingar.
326 An account of the early Ghiljdees. [No. 160.
The Surkh-koh is-called in Pushtoo Sirah-ghar.
The Babakar-zais are found at Swad-zai, Jungeer, Sar-i-As (asp,)
Shah Mardan and Nawah.
The Shamal-zais are found at Shibar, Halatagh, Jetz and Mundan.
Other information of a geographical and minute statistical nature
regarding the Toran Ghiljyes is in my possession, as are the original -
Daftars which could not be generally interesting. The following one
fact may be. A
The scarped hill and barrack walls against which the Ghiljyes ran
their heads, on the 21st May 1842, losing 400 killed, were their own
handy work chiefly, (the garrison having merely finished them,) of the
preceding autumn.
It being impossible to procure labourers from Candahar, I had oc--
casion to call on the tribes to furnish labourers in the exact proportion
they had formerly furnished soldiers to the Duranee kings, and they
were mustered every morning by their respective chiefs, rod in hand.
Being highly paid, (one rupee to every three,) they continued to work
long after the winter set in, sleeping in the plain below the hill in open
graves ! two feet deep for warmth. Her gracious Majesty’s head on the
new Company’s Rupees made a few demur taking them at first ; but
finding out their value they soon got over this prejudice against ‘“ the
image ;” and after spitting on the rupees and treading on them, took the
‘“« Buttars” as they called them home as lawful gain, without a self-ac-
cusation, it is to be hoped, of their having encouraged idolatry.
That money was little valued by the Afghans of the wilds (Sahra)
before the British forces entered Afghanistan, the following will prove.
On my way from Cabool to Candahar in the winter of 1837-38, I
several times failed in getting milk and butter, while my attendants
who had travelled before in the country were plentifully supplied. I
found the reason to be that I offered money, while they gave needles,
and odds and ends of coarse Cabool chintz.
On one occasion after marching all day, I lost my way and got
benighted, and separated from my baggage. On arriving at one of these
Ghiljaee-khels or wild encampments, they allowed me to enter their
tents, but nothing would induce them to kill a sheep for money, (they
even refused to take a gold ducat,) insisting on having cloth; and the
sheep was finally purchased by one of my attendants giving an old Ca-
1845. ] An account of the early Ghiljaees. 327
bool choghak. On leaving Candahar for Quetta, I laid in a stock of
needles, little looking-glasses, pewter rings and wooden combs; and again
on leaving Kalat-i-Naseer for Shikarpoor, I was obliged to lay in a stock
of pieces of coarse native white cotton cloth. For a whole piece I
used to get a sheep; and eggs, fowls, milk, butter, &c. were only purchas-
able by the yard of cloth. In the autumn of 1841, even in the Ghiljaee
country, melons were sold for equal weight of wheat, and grapes for
three times their weight in wheat.
On the army first arriving at Candahar, the wild hill Afghans who
got paid for the supplies they sold in Company’s rupees, took them to
the town shroffs, and paid one and two annas batta to get them changed
for the ‘‘ Kalamah-dar’” or Candaharee rupee, thus giving eighteen
annas for eleven or twelve ; not being able to count, they talked of having
a “kid-skin” of rupees.
List of Places on a portion (upper) of the Arghandah River.
Leftbank, | Right bank. Left bank. Right bank.
Arghasoo. Parsang,
Takhoon. Mamachakh.
Salem. Sangeesar,
Meezan, Surkhakai.
Shekhan. Tarkhuloon,
= Dolanna. Chaghbad.
o Shadee. Barakee,
« Totee. Nangyan.
«+ Dohlah. Saigaz,
e Kondilan. Kailatoo,
e Jadang. Jijgah, Narrai.
s Jakhtoo. Bargah, Sardarrah.
Chalakoor. Girdai, Biland warkh.
Maidan. Shukushta, Ulachee.
Takhoonak, Badar, Shaigan.
Surkhsang. Nalee, Thakr.
Taj Mahammad, Kadalak, Sapitao.
Walagai, a Pumbazar, Duberak.
Molai. 3 Tanghutai, Pezgul.
Madat, i} Karulghan, Chaghmagh.
Bagh. 4 Oman, or
Mossai, =| Jirghanai.
Gazah, m4 Kaftalak.
Beetab. Solan.
Gumbat. Kharnai, Bareezar.
27
St i asec
hin
328 An account of the early Ghiljaees. [No. 160.
The Arghandah river rises in Malistan, then comes to Fort Alee Gou-
har, then to the Fort of Bakar Sultan, called Sangi Mashak, west bank ;
thence Turgan, west bank; thence Gazah, west bank; thence Bal ha-
sarr, west bank; thence Mughaitoo, west bank, (near Kharnai.)
The Attah Hazarahs (uppermost) join into the Kalandar Hazarahs
(who are next below them on the river) at Kharnai. The boundary of
the latter and the Peroz-khel Tokhees is at Avkol, the boundary of the
- latter and the Bahlol-khel is at Fort Husen, the boundary of the latter
and the Perozais is at Aldai (Nulla Zardad,) the boundary of the latter
and the Khan-khel is at Beetab.
Route from Kalat-i-Ghilzyze to
Dera Ismail-khan, Kalat-i-Ghiljaee, Urgakoo, Dab-i-Pishai, crossing
the Pass; Fort Konah in Marghah, Fort Maiyar in Halatagh, Wuch
Marghah, (or Kaimkhelee,) Darwaze, beyond Jetz; Sargadee, Ismail-
khan, Kanokee, Gul Wanah, Kurman-i-Sar, Ashewat, Kashkalwee,
Handeerah Kalan-i-Kakeree, Chukhah, Jyob, Shagee, Sarmaghah, pass-
ing Gholaree Pass ; Neelye, Tormyumah (Gomal,) Kats-speenkee, Man-
jigarah in Daman, Kulachee, Gada-i-Gandipoora, Dera Ismail-khan,
Sakaree, Jetz, Yaiyak-beree, Shaheedan, Turwoh, Kasakuk, Dakha
(deserts,) Taraghaz, Dochnah, Lakatijah, Goostoee, Se-nika, Tsa
tsandai, Doo-mandee (Ghuznee road falls in here,) Kotkee, Kanzoor,
Sarmaghah.
The Nasarees (Daoot-khel) having bullocks, first move to Hindustan
by the Gholaree or Zawah Pass; then the other Nasarees, then the
Kharotees, then the Myan-khels.
q
JOURNAL
OF THE
ASIATIC SOCIETY.
Report, 5c. from Captain G. B. TRemMeNHEERE, Executive Engineer,
Tenasserim Division, to the Officer in charge of the office of Super-
intending Engineer, South Eastern Provinces ; with information
concerning the price of Tin ore of Mergut, in reference to Extract
Jrom a Despatch from the Honorable Court of Directors, dated
25th October 1843, No. 20. Communicated by the Government of
India.
Srr,—Agreeably to instructions conveyed in your letter, No. 3018,
of the 7th of February last, I have the honor to subjoin such informa-
tion as I have been able to obtain, concerning the probable cost of the
tin ore of Mergui.
2. With the view of ascertaining its value in the home market,
I transmitted, about the period of my first report on the tin of this
province, a box of average samples of the ore, to a smelting establish-
ment in Cornwall, (Messrs. Bolitho & Co.) having extensive connection
with the tin mines of that country. In April 1843, Mr. Thomas
Bolitho informed me, that—‘ The samples of once-washed ore pro-
duces about 70 per cent. of tin, and the twice-washed yields nearly
75 percent. The metal is very good, being almost free from alloy ;
some of the samples which have been sent to me from the Malayan
peninsula contain titanium.
‘“¢ The ore appears to separate from the matrix very easily.
No. 161. No. 77, New Sertxs. SoA
ae ———
330 Tin Ore of Mergui. [No. 161.
“The consumption of tin throughout the world increases so slowly,
and the supply at present being more than equal to the demand, there
is little inducement to speculate in tin mines.
‘* The produce of Cornwall is 6,000 tons per annum, and we cal-
culate that the quantity produced at Java together with what is
raised in the Malayan peninsula, will rather exceed the produce of
Cornwall. The average price of tin in Cornwall has been about 72s.
per cwt., but it is now as low as 56s., which is the present price of the
best Straits tin, and tin mines are suffering greatly from the deprecia-
tion in the value of their metal.
“© It may serve for your guidance to know, that at this moment tin
ore of the description of the sample twice-washed, would fetch in Eng-
land about £ 46 per ton.”
3. The following calculations of the probable result of a shipment
of tin ore, and of the metal, have been obligingly made for me by
two mercantile gentlemen of Maulmain. They are based on the
lowest prices which, according to Mr. Bolitho, were obtainable in the
market in April 1843, and show a probable profit on tin ore of 7s. 8d.
per cwt. ; but a loss on the shipment of the metal of 12s. 4d. per ewt. in
one case, and 4s. 9d. per cwt. in the other.
July 1843. Tin ore from Maulmain purchased at 45 rupees per
hundred viss, equal to 365 Ibs.
Lots’ a.
45 Rs. per °/, viss = per cwt. 14 rupees, or 0 28 0
Charges. Lira ad
Duty, 5 ee ; on es 0 3 0
Stout boxes and sped dua it ges in Maul- @ 0 ep
main, ee i oa aoc§
Freight home £ 2 per ie - oe be 0 2 0
Insurance 23 °/, on 40s. .. ots 2 0 1 0
Commission and London charges 5} °/, 0 2 2
Interest commission 5 °/, on purchase, 0 12 010 4
038 4
Sale price per Mr. Bolitho, fs afd 046 0
Leaves a profit percwt. .. is 7 O77. 8
1845. | Tin Ore of Mergut. 331
July 1843. Zn from Maulmain purchased at 77 rupees per hun-
dred viss.
By sti d
77 Rs. per °/, viss = 23 Rs. 14 annas, or
per cwt. .. ist 3F oi : 0.47.9
Charges. SoM aod.
Duty, a es 010 0
In Maulmain ding * al per cwt. 0 0 6
Insurance 24 °/, or 6 °/, - d OY lee
London charges, viz. commission 23 °/, se
Ware-house and Dock dues 1} °/, other maf 3.3
incidental expences 14 °/, is ie Be 1
Interest on Purchase.
Six months @ 5 per cent. .. a ee 0 2 4
Freight @ £ 3 per ton, pe “2 0 3 0 020 7
é 068 4
Sale price per Mr. Bolitho, - fi 056 0
Leaves a loss of per cwt. .. Ar sig 012 4
Another calculation of November 1844.
Ry AP:
Utaizh cost of tin in Maulmain, Rs. a
(a ef gC AON
Freight to England @ £ 1-10 per ton, 012 O
Duty, @ 10s. ce is Bie 5 0 0
Shipping charges here wail in tain ius 0 8 0
Commission in London @ £ 23 per cent. .. 013 0
2D 6.02
2 Prey ea
OR os. ld SER DMEO Og
Assumed price in London, ae 0 si} Oo DG ry0
Leaves a loss per cwt. of .. ze Ope eo
4. The assumed rate for the ore at Maulmain, 45 rupees per 365
Ibs., would be I think subject to a reduction; but that for the metal,
332 Tin Ore of Mergui. [No. 161.
is probably the lowest average. It will be observed also, that the
London price of 56s. per cwt. is taken at a period of great depression
in the value of the article which had averaged 72s. per cwt.; but it
would nevertheless appear, that to send it to England in the state of
clean ore would be by far the safest investment.
5. Many localities in the Mergui province in which the ore exists
abundantly, have been already described and publicly made known ;
but little or no attention has been given to the subject by merchants
of Maulmain. Their business consists principally in timber, piece
goods and hardware, and they have no inclination to embark in
mining speculations. A small shipment of ore, being part of about 24
tons collected by convicts and others at the Government expense,
was made to England by Messrs, Bilton and Co. of Maulmain ; but —
the quantity was so small, that no result has been made known by
their home correspondent. At Malewan in the Pak-chan river at
the southern extremity of Tenasserim, between one and two hundred
active Chinamen are engaged in collecting the ore in the streams
described in my third report of 8th April 1843, Journal As. Soe.
Vol. XII. p. 523. They have been very successful, but there is so lit-
tle communication with that part of the coast that no accurate statement
of the result of their annual labours can be obtained. They convert it
into metal, which comes with Tacopah and other tin into the Maul-
main market.
6. Other localities equally productive and available to the private
speculator have been indicated in former reports, and more are becom-
ing known. A specimen recently obtained by EK. O’Riley, Esq. from
Henzai, north of Tavoy, is forwarded. It is said to be plentiful there ;
but, without multiplying instances, sufficient evidence has been re-
corded of the existence in the Tenasserim provinces of rich stores of
the ore of this useful metal, and it has been also shown that there is
no obstacle to its profitable production.
Mining or other operations of this nature supported by the Govern-
ment, have generally proved unsuccessful in India; but the time may
perhaps arrive, when the attention of private capitalists may be turned
in this direction.
G. B. TREMENHEERE,
Ex. Engineer, Tenasserim Provinces.
ee
7
333
A Supplementary Account of the Hazarahs. By Major R. Luxcu, C. B.
Late Political Agent, Candahar.
[Drawn up under circumstances of peculiar difficulty. ]
A former account of the tribes inhabiting the Hazarajat, was furnished
to Lord Auckland’s government, and printed with the other papers of
the late Mission to Cabool, (Captain Burnes’s).
I had hopes of procuring a written history of this tribe which I
have reason to suppose exists, when I was obliged to quit Candahar
with General Nott’s force in August, 1842. It was, if I remember, said to
be in the possession of the Chief of the Dai Kundee Hazarahs, whose
son was at that time a hostage in Candahar.
The Hazarahs claim brotherhood with Europeans, saying that both
are descendants of Japheth, the son of Noah.
The Hazarahs are called Moghuls by the Ghiljyes.
I believe that the Hazarahs in former times were like the Afghans
of a subsequent period, planted on the confines of India.
They, I believe, held the high road from Cabool to Candahar and
Herat up to comparatively speaking a recent period.
Many of the names of villages in the immediate neighbourhood of
Candahar prove a Hazarah founder ; and the tomb of one of their pro.
genitors, Choupan, is on the high road between Candahar and Herat
~ near Greeskh : the place is now called Khah-i-Choupan.
In a paper on the history of Kalat-i- Naseer, I mentioned my opinion
that the Hazarahs extended as far as Shawl Quetta, from the name
Takatoo of the mountain bounding that valley towards Pishing and
Candahar; and from Kuchlah (which means caves in the Hazarah
dialect), being the first stage from Quetta towards Candahar.
The word ‘‘Shev’ both in the Hazarah and Brahavee dialects
(Koodd-gal) means below, lower; for we find the Shev Hassarrs or
lower Hassarrs, distinguished from the Bal Hassarrs or upper Hassarrs.
There is in the neighbourhood of Candahar the shrine of an Hazarah
saint, who has the title of Hai-taz, (the rush rider). I have mislaid the
detailed account of the miracle that got the saint this title.
The Hazarahs’ simplicity is proverbial, and it is probable that they
were cheated by the Afghans and Ghiljyes out of quite as much land as
they were beaten off.
a :
ae
334 Supplementary account of the Hazarahs. [No. 161.
They hold fire-arms in greater esteem than their rivals, and do not, as
they do, trust to the vaunted Toora (sword) entirely. They make ex-
cellent powder, and are capital shots ; and, strange for a people inhabiting
a hilly country, are good riders. ‘
They feel ashamed of their Tartar cast of countenance and want of
beards; and I invariably observed that the higher in rank a Hazarah
chief was, the less he resembled his race.
They call the Afghans, ‘‘ Avghoons.” Such is their aversion to the
Tartar cast of countenance, that it is reported they ask no question of
their wives for presenting them with children, the images of some of
their Afghan handsome neighbours; and the opportunities afforded a
passing stranger, even, by some tribes are said to be most shameless.*
As an instance of their want of polish, I instance the case of a Haza-
rah chief who visited me in the end of 1841 at Kalat i-Ghiljye. This
man resided at so small a distance from town (Candahar), that had he
been inclined he might have visited it once a week at least. As his
services were required for our garrison, I made him a present of a shawl,
and sent him round the fort to see the buildings and the commencement
of our fortification. On his return, after signs of great uneasiness in his
chair and sundry whisperings with his confidential attendant standing
behind him, he at last confessed that he had a request to make before
taking leave, if I would not be offended. This was, that in his tour round
the fort he had been struck with wonder at a large copper deg (caul-
dron) used by the executive engineer to mix lime (the weather requir-
ing warm water to be used), and that he hoped I would give it him in-
stead (if I liked) of the shawl. It was of the common size used at
cooks’ shops at Candahar.
The vessel was accordingly purchased for him, and presented after
being scrubbed as well as time permitted ; and he left with it highly de-
lighted, vowing he would make soup of a whole sheep in it and feast
all the tribes. I never heard that the lime had any bad effect on the
soup eaters. I have no doubt that this deg will after a generation or
two have wonderful tales told of it in connection with the Faringees,
who built Kalat in the autumn to destroy it in the spring.
* The Afghans give their Dutch build in the following couplet:
‘* Pushti koonash naghara darad,
Hazarah dumba darad,”’
1845. ] Supplementary account of the Hazarahs. 335
I propose that this account should consist of the different memoranda
found in my journal connected with the Hazarahs, according to the or-
der of dates.
Memorandum, 19th July 1839, Candahar.—To the north of the Arif-
khanee Baloche of Kejran, (to the north of Teereen) are the Babalee
Hazarahs under Husenee-khan, and his nephew Mahmood-khan; and to
the north of the Babalee are the Chora Hazarahs; 2000 families under
Allee Husen-khan and Mahammad Husen. They are taxed one sheep
each house.
Mahmood and his uncle Husenee both live at Zarafshan. Mehdee-
khan was the father of Mahmood. The Babalee Hazarahs are reckoned
at 5000 houses, and they are said to be able to furnish 200 horse and
300 foot. The Sardars of Candahar collected yearly about 2 or 3000
sheep. The sister of Mahammad Husen-beg Dai-koondee is Mahmood-
khan’s wife, and Mahmood-khan’s sister is the mother of Khairulla-
beg Dai-koondee. Gizon, called the Cashmeer of Western Afghan-
istan, was originally a government post. It is now enjoyed by Ma-
hammad Takee Beg, a’ Dai-kundee Hazarah. It was through the
Hazarahs that the revenue called Sang-o-baz (the goat and stone)
became known. When a tribe is next to independent, it is said to
pay a stone-and-goat revenue; that is, the collectors of revenue are met
with an old lean goat in one hand, and a stone in the other, as much as
to say, if you do not put up with this shadow of tribute you shall have
this (the stone) on your head.
Memorandum, Chapa-khanna Karabagh, 24th June 1841, and 1st Sep-
tember 1842.—The four Dastaks of Ornee are Tamakee Taltamoor, Doka,
and Sagadee. These, with Aldye, Mahammad Khoja, and Meer Maham-
mad, are sons of Hajee. Their chiefs are Husen-khan, Hasan-khan,
and Mahammad Takee-khan, sons of Meer Alee-khan, son of Zakee-
khan. The Mahammad Khoja Hazarahs are under Mahammad Husen-
khan the son of Gulisthan-khan, the son of Abdul Masam-khan. These
are the Hazarahs of Karabagh; they are at enmity with the Tarakees,
which was amply verified on the approach of General Nott’s force to
Karabagh in 1842. The Ghiljyes had forsaken their forts from fear of
the force, and on coming up to Karabagh the Hazarahs were seen hur-
rying across the plain on their beasts of burden with empty bags to sack
their neighbours’ forts. Some of the Hazarahs accompanied the force
—— ee
3
336 Supplementary account of the Hazarahs. [No. 161.
one or two marches further, in hopes of getting the contents of the other
Ghiljaee forts in advance.
Memorandum, 28th June 1841.—There are four Dastaks of Jagharee
Hazarahs ; Garai’ee, Baghochury, Izdaree, and Attak.
The three other Dastaks are Kalandars, Pashahee and Sherdagh. The
seven are called Mama. Sultan Bakar is by tribe an Attak; his father
was Augoobeg, son of Sufee Sultan: he has four sons, Sharhat-i-Alee,
Jamshed, Bijan, and Ismail.
The Arghandah river rises in Malisthan, then comes to Fort Alee
Gouhar-khan, then to the Fort of Bakar Sultan, called Sang-i-Mashak,
west bank; thence Turgan, west bank ; thence Gazah, west bank ; thence
Bal hassarr, west bank; thence Kunghaitoo, west bank ; Shev hasarr,
west bank; thence the Tokhees to Siya Sang of the Khan-khels, east
bank; thence Mezan, east bank, to Dahlak.
Memorandum, 18th August 1841.—Karez-i-Salai is a Supzee, among
the Dai Choupan Hazarahs, his residence is Shaee: to the west he
has Meerza Sultan Sohbat-khanee Hazarah of Karez and Chalakoor;
to the east Uruzghan Gundah Hazarahs; to the north the Khojakais
under Tamas-khan ; and to the south the Khan.khel Tokhees of Bagh.
The Dai Choupans, in all 2,500 families, are divided into three clans.
Wachak, under Murtuza-khan.
Orasee, ditto, Murza Sultan.
Baintan, ditto, Zardad Sultan.
The Wachaks are divided into four.
Paindah Mahammad, Bubash, Daoozai and Sheerah.
The Orasee are divided into three: Isfandyar, Ghulam-i- Wakee, and
Baitamoor.
Baintan had five divisions : Wuttee Murghans, Sherak, Malik Makam-
mad, and Mahammad Beg, of which are Sult Alee and Zardad
Sultan.
The Dai Choupans are originally from Greeshk; the tomb of their
progenitor is stillin existence, (Khak-i-Choupan.)
Sadelchee was the first chief of Kalat-i-Ghiljye.
Paindah Mahammad, Daoozai, Sohbat-khanee, and Mahammad-zais
of Shoee are all Akkahs.
The river of the Paindah Mahammad is Seran, of Meerza Sultan
Baghoochar, and of Zardad Sultan Sousah.
1845. | Supplementary account of the Hazarahs. 337
Besides the revenue of the Dai Choupans (3,000 sheep, goats and
lambs,) that of Chalakoa (a desirable place by all accounts to spend the
winter, in preference to Kalat-i-Ghiljye) under Kongharee was 600
sheep, goats and lambs, and 12 Kharwars (120 maunds) of grain.
Memorandum, 15th October 1841; Kalat-i- Ghiljye. The boundary
between the Kalandar and Jaghuree Hazarahs is at Oloom of the Salai
Kalandar Hazarahs; the place is not on the river Arghandah, it is near,
and almost the same as Gardoon-i-Nungoo.
The boundary of the Kalandar Hazarahs and the Tokhees is at Av-
khol on the Arghandah, which belongs to the Kalandar Hazarahs.
The places of the Kalandars are Mughailoo, Gardoni Kotal, Oloom,
Gardoon-i-Murgo, Doom-i-Sago, Surkh Kol Ablecto, Gardo, Bayh, and
Moklai. The chiefs, their titles and residences are Alee Bakheh, son of
Ghulam Husen Khan, at Ableeto.
The Kalandar revenue is payable at Ghuznee in hair carpets (palas)
and sheep.
Korghushtoo is a place of the Myanishees of the divisions Shekho
and Ghulam.
They may be 100 families; they never regularly paid revenue to the
Sardars of Candahar, but are assessable by the king.
The Shekhos are ryots of Zardad, who takes one lamb from each
house.
Sheep won’t live in their country, but goats will ; they die of rot in the
livers immediately it reaches the gall. ‘The cure is the gambelahs.
Memorandum, 6th November 1841.—Kalat-i-Ghiljye ; the following is
road to Mughaitoo Halan Rabat. Sebandee, Jijgah Gorgaran, Kasalghan
on the Arghandah, Mughaitoo.
From Gorgaran Mughaitoo bears west, Hingai east, Bakhtoo north,
and Karatash south.
The titles of the Hazarahs are Khan, Sultan, Ikhtyars, Wakee, Meh-
tar and Turkhan.
The Kalandars have to their west Ghulam-i-Wakee and Bubash Ha-
zarahs, to the north Uruzghan under Zoulee and Sult Alee, to the east
Attah, and to the south the Jalalzai Tokhees.
The Hazarahs of Candahar are on excellent terms with the Parseewans,
(I have also heard them called Parsus) those at Candahar were origi-
3B
338 Supplementary account of the Hazarahs. [No. 161.
nally brought from Persia by Shah Abbas the Great; they are of the
divisions Ruzbyanee, Zanganah, Burbur and Siah Mansoor.
During the early wars of the Hazarahs and Ghiljyes, the latter burnt
the dead bodies of the former that came in their possession, and only
discontinued the practice (disgraceful to both parties as men and Mosul-
mans) on the former retaliating. The system of offering indignity to
dead bodies is a favorite one with the Afghans.*
The Hazarahs as well as Ghiljyes do not eat fish, although they agree
it was made lawful food by their prophet.
In going down the river Arghandah we were struck with the fine fish
in that clean part of the stream, and desired to have some; no one in
the whole tribe could be found who knew how to catch them: at last a
dyer who poached for his own use, (he was an inhabitant of Candahar,
not an Afghan) volunteered his services with small pea-like balls of
* On the very first day that I entered Afghanistan (the Khyber Pass in the autumn
of 1837,) I observed that all the bodies of the Sikhs who had been killed near the Pass,
(in the battle of Jamrood between Mahammad Akbar-khan and Huree Sing) had
been heaped together.
On the breast of the corpse of Goda-khan Momaod Afghan, they lit a fire; he having
been killed in our service.
The grave of the first officer who was buried after the army reached Candahar (he
was murdered) was being dug into, when the resurrectionists were disturbed by my
gardener going to turn water off into the garden, and a repetition of the attempt was
alone prevented by my making the owner of the field responsible for the preservation
of the tomb.
During the siege of Kalat-i-Ghiljye, the fire that had been kindled to consume the.
corpse of a Hindoo native officer was extinguished by the besiegers, and the bodies of
the camp followers they had cut up were the next day hacked with their spades by the
cultivators who came to the spot to turn water into their fields.
The graves of those who were killed in 1839 at Ghuznee were in 1842 found defiled.
It became at last necessary on the march to bury under cover of tents, and to use
every ingenuity to conceal the spot which in many cases was of no avail, and no pre-
ventative against exhumation. I have lately heard that all the graves at Candahar
have been opened by Umar-khan, the son of Sardar Kobudil-khan, who intended to
burn the mouldering bones with horse litter; but the Mullas obliged him to content
himself with scattering them about the plain.
Graves of Mohammadans in Afghanistan are opened for the sake of the shrouds, by
a set who are thence called Cafan Kash, and great excitement was occasioned in the
winter of 1837 in Cabool, by a young married woman of rank having opened a newly
made grave. She had been persuaded that, if she succeeded in giving to her rival (hus-
band’s second wife) to eat halwah cooked on the breast of a corpse, she would become
the sufed-bakht (white-fortuned) or favorite. Hog’s lard rubbed in the hair is considered
a specific for estranging affection,
1845. ] Supplementary aecount of the Hazarahs. 339
flour mixed with gall and Marg-i-Mahee, (the fish-bone nut) which he
threw into the stream, the surface of which was soon covered with
floating fishes in a state of intoxication, (not dead). Bringing them to
land was good fun for the boys who had assembled.
Observing in the crowd of spectators the village Mulla (who are gene-
rally half-read) who evidently regarded us as cannibals, I enquired why
they did not eat fish; he replied, he could not tell me, but it was un.
doubtedly lawful food. A good stock of fine large fish being now
laid before us, I begged the Mulla to make them lawful eating ; this, he
ought to have known, could be done by merely dashing the live ones
thrice to the ground. He however looked disconcerted at my request,
and hesitated. After a short time, during which we all kept our coun-
tenances, he called for a knife and was about to cut their throats, when
I suggested that the bellies were the proper places; and he actually,
after pronouncing his solemn ‘“ Bismillah All4h Akbar,” went through
this first part of the cook’s duty: and, as he looked after us as we de-
parted to breakfast, I have no doubt he said to himself, ‘‘ These Faringees
are after all not such a dirty feeding set of Kafars as they are said
to be.”
The Hazarahs, notwithstanding the general enmity between the tribe
and the Ghiljyes and Afghans, have their friends and allies among
them ; three Maliks of the Alee-khel Ghiljyes have gone over to Sultan
Bakar, the deadly enemy of their tribe, having quarrelled with their
brother Malik : their names are Mato, Natho, and Shahabudeen.
The Hazarahs have been driven out of part of their country by the
Wardaks (from the stages of Haft Asya, Hyder-khel, Shashgou, &c.)
These Wardaks are said to amount to 9,000.
The Hooree Wardaks, who now occupy this part of the road from
Ghuznee to Cabool, are divided into three clans; Malee-khel, Badud
(Bahadur) khel, and Hyder-khel.
The Malee-khels are divided into Hasan-khel, Hasrah, Muradee-khel,
and Shadee-khel.
The Badud-khels into Panchpaee Zeerak and Khaja Khidr, and the
Hyder-khels into Tokur-khel and Eesa-khel.
The Hoorees are reckoned at 2,000 snookes, or houses.
In their hills there is a grass called Tabarghan that sheep feed on,
which imparts a fine flavour to the ghee, milk, and its other preparations,
340 Supplementary account of the Hazarahs. [No. 161.
There is also a red flower, called Sursan, which is boiled, and the
strained water used as a cooling drink.
The slaves in Afghanistan are chiefly Hazarahs, and the Afghans say
it is as lawful to buy and sell them as negroes.
N. B.—I have, I think, a good account of the Hazarahs dependent on
Cabool in my ‘“‘ Vicovitch’s Cabool,’’ a work which I hope some day
to have time to translate. It is composed of accounts of the different
districts of Cabool, drawn up at the request of that Russian agent, during
his residence at Cabool in the latter end of 1837 and beginning of 1838.
Rough Notes on the Zoology of Candahar and the Neighbouring
Districts. By Capt. Tuos. Hutton, of the Invalids, Mussoorie.
With notes by Ep. Biytu, Curator of the Asiatic Society's Museum.
‘No. 1. Vespertilionide. Two species of Bats are common at Can-
dahar, a large and a small kind ; the latter I preserved in spirits and
have sent you, though I fear they are spoiled.1_ This species is very
common, and may be seen from February till towards the end of
1. They arrived in excellent condition, and may be thus characterized :
Pipistrellus lepidus, Blyth. Length three inches and one-eighth to three and a quar-
ter, of which the tail measures one and ahalf; alar expanse eight and a half to nine
inches : fore-arm an inch and three-eighths, or a trifle less; longest finger two inehes
and a quarter; tibia half an inch; foot and claws five-sixteenths of an inch. Ears
smaller than usual among the Pipistrelles, measuring from lowermost anteal base
half an inch, and their tips spreading to an inch asunder; tragus subovate, and curved
as usual. Sides of the face very tumid. General colour a light yellowish-clay, pale
sandy or isabella-brown ; underneath paler: the volar membrane light dusky, and the
inter-digital at base towards the wrist, also the tip of the wing, and a broad border be-
tween the leg and proximate finger, with the fingers themselves, of the same light hue
as the fur of the body.
Captain Hutton’s large species is not improbably the Noctulinia noctula, v. N. alti-
volans, (White) Gray, common in Europe; for I doubt much the distinction of Mr.
Hodgson’s Vesp. labiata from the noctula, and a very closely allied species, if not the
same, has been described by Mons. F. Cuvier from Sumatra.
The description of habitat resorted to by the third species is that of Rhinolophus
perniger, Hodgson, v. ductus (?), ‘temminck, further to the eastward.
It may be remarked here that Elphinstone mentions Monkeys, as found only on
the north-east parts of Afghanistan ; a statement which does not appear to have been
since verified.— Cur. As. Soc.
1845. | Rough Notes on the Zoology of Candahar. 341
October, flitting about in crowds in the twilight hours of evening ;
they shelter during the day in holes of houses, walls, and rocks.
The larger kind I have only seen occasionally on the wing, and
never possessed a specimen. There is said to be another large kind
found in the limestone caverns which occur in the mountains, but I
suspect it to be the same.
No. 2. Felis tigrts. Is said to occur in the jungles of Bhawulpore
along the banks of the Sutledge, but I saw no traces of it. In the
lower parts of the country, towards Scindh, I do not think it occurs.
It is not in Afghanistan.”
No. 3. Felis leo. Is said to occur in some parts of Afghanistan ; but
2. According to Elphinstone, Tigers are to be met with in most of the woody parts
of Afghanistan: and Mr. Vigne remarks that the Tiger is ‘‘said to be well known’’ upon
the Sufyd koh mountain. Sir John McNeill saw one killed in Persia, at the foot of the
Elboorz mountains, near the Caspian; and Morier states that it occurs in the vicinity
of Tabreez, mentioning that he saw the skin of one that had been killed there a short
time previously. Old Tournefort relates that the middle region, and even the borders
of the snow limit, of Ararat, are inhabited by Tigers(?). He says that he saw them
within 100 yards of him, and that the young are caught in traps by the people round the
mountain, to be exhibited in shows of wild beasts throughout Persia. At Grusia, at
the foot of Caucasus, a large one is mentioned by Kotzebue, and supposed by him to
have been driven by hunger from the plain of Baghdad. Mons. Menetries (I think, for
I have neglected to cite the authority in my note-book, ) relates that—‘‘ During our stay
at Lenkowa, I had the good fortune to obtain a Tiger that had been killed only fifteen
versts off. It did not appear to differ from the Bengal Tiger, even inthe skull. It
appears, as I subsequently learned, that one at least is killed every year in the vicinity,
having been pursued perhaps by hunters, till it sought refuge in the neighbouring forests
of the Kour. It is not, 1 believe, found in Caucasus, the skins sent thence to Europe
having probably been brought from Georgia, whence those of Leopards are also sent.”’ Lt.
Irwin states, that the Tiger is found as far as Tashkund, but in that temperate climate
he falls much short of the Bengal Tiger in strength and ferocity. Burnes also speaks
of ‘‘ Tigers of a diminutive species,’’ found in the valley of the Oxus ; and Humboldt
and Ehrenberg observed them so high as the latitude of Berlin: they are said to occur
even on the banks of the Oby : and Du Halde speaks of themas common in Tartary and
China. In Japan they are stated to be covered with a thick coat of long soft fur. In
the Himalaya they reach to an elevation of 8,000 feet, but are rare as far north as
Simla, and they are said to be smaller in the N. W. provinces than in Bengal. Dr.
McClelland aflirms that they are a great scourge to the inhabitants of Kemaon. Re-
ferring, however, to the more western portion of the range of this animal, and even to
the northern, it is necessary to be on guard against the frequent misapplication of the
name Tiger, which, in South Africa, for instance, invariably applies to the Leopard,
and in S. America to the Jaguar; in Van Dieman’s Land even to the marsupial Thyla-
cin: and with respect to a remark above cited, referring to Leopard skins being brought
from Georgia to the Caucasus, it may be noticed that Guldenstadt describes the Leopard
to inhabit the rocky parts of Caucasus, chiefly to the south, about Tiflis; being of rare
occurrence to the northward.—Cur. As. Soc.
342 ~ Rough Notes on the Zoology of Candahar. (No. 161.
I doubt it, as I never saw a skin nor any spoils of the animal, nor
could I find any one who had seen it.®
No. 4. Felis leopardus. This animal is common in the mountain-
ous parts of Afghanistan, and is destructive to flocks and cattle ; it
seldom attacks man, though the Afghans have a great dread of it.
The skins are prized as saddle-cloths, and are thrown over the saddle,
with the tail fastened behind to that of the horse.*
No. 5. Felis chaus, (vel erythrotis, Hodgson). This is not an un-
common species on the hills of Quettah and other parts of the country.
N. B.—‘ Seeah Gosh” is the name of a Lynx in Persia, @. e. ‘‘ Black
Ears.”5
No. 6. Felis ? <A spotted skin of a small Lynx, the only one
I saw: it was brought in its present state from the Huzarrah hills.®
No. 7. Felis catus. The domestic Cat of the Afghans is very similar
to that of the hill people in the Himalayan districts, running into all
sorts of varieties as to colour, as they do with us, although the most
general is a dark grey with black spots and stripes.’
No. 8. Canis . The domestic Dogs of the Afghans vary ac-
cording to the climate. In the hilly tracts they are large and fierce ;
3. Elphinstone remarks, that the only part of Afghanistan where he had heard of the
existence of Lions, was in the hilly country about Cabool, and there they are small
and weak as compared with the African Lion. ‘ ] even doubt,’’ he adds, ‘‘ whether
they are Lions.’? The Lion is well known to occur, however, both in Persia and in
Western India; and, according to Lieut. Irwin, some are found as far as Tashkund,
in a northerly direction and an easterly. J. A. S. villi, 1007.—Cur. As. Soc.
4. A Candahar specimen forwarded by Captain Hutton is of moderate dimensions, with
rather long fur, very pale in colour, and the spots a good deal ringed, including those
along the back line.—Cur. As. Soc.
5. This is the Felis caracal, Schreber, of which the Society has lately received a
specimen, killed at Jeypoor, from Captain Boys. It extends sparingly over the Upper
Provinces, but appears not to occur in the peninsula of India: westward it inha-
bits Syria, and the whole of Africa from Barbary to the Cape of Good Hope.
F. chaus is common throughout India, from the Himalaya southward; and extends
even to Arracan.—Cur. As. Soc.
6. This seems to me to be the British Wild Cat ( Felis sylvestris, Aldrovand, com-
monly referred, but very doubtfully, to #. catus, Lin.; the former not occurring in
Scandinavia). Its tail, however, would appear to taper, so far as can be judged from
the open skin; whereas the tail of the British Wild Cat does not taper. Judging from
memory, of the figure published by Mons, F. Cuvier, I much suspect it to be his F.
torquata : but the colour and markings are quite those of F. sylvestris.x—Cur. As. Soc.
7. The domestic Cats of India are smaller than those of Europe, and are very com-
monly of a grey colour without markings, except on the limbs, and some more or less
confluent black dorsal lines ; the feet and tail being also black, to a greater or less extent.
This is a style of colouring never seen in those of Europe (of unmixed breed) ; and the
ee
1845. | Rough Notes on the Zoology of Candahar. 343
and approach somewhat in appearance to the degenerate breed of
Bhotan dogs, such as is found in the lower hills of the Cis-Hima-
laya. Others are not very different from the common village dog of
India, except perhaps that the bark is more decided in its tones, and
the hair longer. These appear to be the mere effects of climate.
There are likewise Turnspits and Greyhounds : some of the latter
are good and fleet, with smooth short hair ; others are large and cloth-
ed with long silky hair. At Cabool, Pointers are said to occur; but in
the more southern parts I saw none.®
true tabby, so common in Europe, is never seen in India: I mean the tabby with black
ground and broad pale streaks peculiarly disposed ; for the grey with black tiger-streaks is
found in both regions, only that the Indian are of a purer grey than the European.
The long-haired Kashmir Cats, when dark, are often of the same unstriped grey with
black dorsal streaks, feet, and tip of tail, as the Indian; and, I think, I may add that
the Indian are more generally partially or almost wholly white, than is the case in
Europe. Wholly black Cats are certainly less common thanin England. By the way,
Elphinstone states that Cats of the long-haired variety, called Borawk, are exported in
a great number from Afghanistan, but are not numerous in Persia, where they are
seldom or never exported.— Cur. As. Soc.
8. Lieut. Wood, in his ‘ Journey to the source of the Oxus,’ p. 396, mentions a breed
of Dogs, at Kunduz, called Tazz, ‘‘ which could not but have found favour in the eyes
of an English sportsman: it is a breed which, for strength and symmetry, vie with our
Greyhound, and in beauty surpass it.’? Also, he speaks of the ‘‘ Spaniel, from Kutch,
and others of mixed breed, but possessing keen scent, and some of the qualities of our
pointers.’ Lieut. Wood also informs us (p. 374), that ‘“‘the Wakhun Dogs differ much
from those of India, and bear a general resemblance to the Scotch Colly. They have
long ears, a bushy tail, and a frame somewhat slender, being better adapted for
swiftness than strength. They are very fierce, make excellent watchers, and will
fight dogs twice their own weight. Their prevailing colours are black or a reddish-
brown; the latter often mottled. The breed is from Chittrah, and so highly are their
game qualities valued, that the Scinde Ameers have their packs improved by
importations from this country.”” To my friend Mr. Vigne, we are indebted for a
description of ** the Scinde hound, as it is usually termed, which,’’ he remarks, ‘‘is a
race peculiar to the country, and considerable care, I believe, is bestowed upon the
breed. It is alargeand fierce animal, smooth-haired and usually white, and with sharp
ears: a cross between a thorough-bred mastiff and a greyhound, would much resemble
it. In general figure, but with a more savage expression, it is not unlike a large Eng.
lish coach dog: an animal which, somehow or other, in the older books of Natural His-
tory, has obtained the name of the Harrier of Bengal. Although not probable, yet it
is not actually impossible, that the original breed may have been brought home by the
early European traders from the mouth of the Indus, and that the name may thus have
originated in a not unlikely confusion of localities.” ‘ Travels in Kashmir,’ &c. II.
4ll. The same gentleman gives a description of the magnificent sheep dogs of Kashmir,
F (ibid, II. 149), which however would appear to be identical with the ordinary Tibe-
tan mastiff. Of this race, many are annually brought to Calcutta; and with them I
have seen a dog very nearly resembling the Exquimaux dog, which is found likewise in
northern Siberia, where, for purposes of draught, it is fast superseding the Rein-deer.—
Cur. As, Soc.
344 Rough Notes on the Zoology of Candahar. [No. 161.
No. 9. Canis aureus ?, var: I have no specimen. It is abundant
along the course of the Helmund and Argandab rivers, at Girishk
and Candahar, as also in the Bolan Pass, and appears to be identical
with the variety found in the Himalaya. It may perhaps be the
“* Oxygous indicus,’ of Mr. Hodgson. It is found in packs, and
cries at night like those of the plains of India, and in this it seems to
differ from the Himalayan variety, for although I have often seen
many of the latter together at Simla, I never heard them cry. May
not a dread of the Leopard keep them silent in the hills ??
No. 10. Vulpes | flavescens, Gray.| The Fox of Afghanistan, or
at least of the southern and western parts, is apparently the same as
our Himalayan species, though somewhat less in size.1° My specimens
are all females, and the measurements are as follow, namely :—
Length from nose to insertion of tail two feet; tail seventeen inches,
equalling three feet seven inches. Height at the shoulder fourteen
inches. Another :—Length to insertion of tail two feet ; tail seventeen
inches and a half, equalling three feet five inches and a half. Height
nearly fifteen inches at the shoulder. Farther description I omit, as
you can supply it from the specimen sent. The species is numerous in
the valleys around Candahar, hiding in burrows and holes in the
rocks. The skins are soft, and are made into reemchahs and posh-
teens. The price is usually six annas a skin. Called “ Robur.”!!
9. Wild Dogs, in addition to Wolves, Jackals, and Foxes, are stated by Elphin-
stone to occur in Afghanistan. A Nepalese Jackal skin presented to the Society by
Mr. Hodgson, appears to differ in no respect whatever from the Jackal of Lower
Bengal-—Cur. As. Soc.
10. Since writing the above, I have compared the specimens with the Hill Fox, and
there appears to be a deficiency in the white tip to the tail in Afghan specimens? T. H.
11. In Afghanistan, according to the late Dr. Griffith, ‘a large and a small species
of Fox appear to exist. The former, which is perhaps identical with the large Hima-
layan Fox, I procured from Quetta and at Olipore, at which place it is not uncommon.
The small kind seems to resemble the Fox of the plains of N. W. India.’”? Capt. Hut-
ton’s specimen is evidently of the small Afghan species, which is Vulpes flavescens,
Gray, An. and Mag. N. H. 1843, p. 118, and thus described :—‘‘ Pale yellowish, back
rather darker; face, outer side of fore-legs, and base of tail, pale fulvous ; spot on side
of face, just before the eyes, the chin, the front of fore-legs, a round spot on the upper
part of hind-feet [or rather legs], and the tips of the hairs of the tail, blackish; end of
tail white. Hab. Persia”? The winter furis long and soft, and is of two sorts; a
shorter and delicate under-fur, which on the back is darkish, passing to white on the
sides and under parts, and pure white on the sides of the neck and shoulders in some,
in others but partially so ; and longer straight hairs, black-tipped, and yellowish-white
along the back, whiter on the sides: the breast and under parts, with the exterior of
the limbs above the mid-joint, dusky: ears brown-black to near their base: face ful-
1845. ] Rough Notes on the Zoology of Candahar. 345
No. 11: Vulpes bengalensts. Is common in Cutchee, where, pre-
vious to the advance of our army from Shikarpore, I have coursed
them with my friend Major Leech, late Political Agent at Candahar.
It does not appear to pass the mountains into Afghanistan, or at least
I neither saw nor heard of it. ‘‘ Loomree” of India.'?
No. 12. Canis lupus.—Wolves are common in the lower part of
the Bhawulpore country, and likewise around Candahar. The dimen-
sions of one from the latter place are thus:—Length, over all, four feet
eight inches ; height at the shoulder two feet three inches. The female
is still larger. It appears to be the common Wolf of India. A pair
of these animals crossed my path one morning in Scindh: they were
going along at a smart hand-gallop, the largest, or female, leading.
“* Bheyriah” of India.‘
No. 13. Hycena vulgaris.—This animal is common in Afghanistan.
Length to insertion of tail three feet three inches and a half; tail fif-
teen inches, equalling four feet eight inches and a half. This wasa
female, and apparently not full grown. I had an opportunity of com-
paring this specimen with a male from Neemuch, which my friend
Dr. Baddeley reared from a cub, and took with him to Candahar.
There was no perceptible difference except in size, the Neemuch spe-
cimen being the largest. Dr. Baddeley and one native servant were
vescent, with dark patch before each eye : and the tail very bushy, a little fulves-
cent, and white-tipped. In summer dress, the long hairs have more or less disappear-
ed; and, in a male before me, the inner fur is considerably deeper-coloured than in
Capt. Hutton’s female. A third specimen was received from Almorah, but the skin
had doubtless been carried to the great Hurdwar fair. Asa species, it is very distinct
from the Himalayan Fox, and also from another, nearly allied to the latter, from Chi-
nese Tartary, described in J. A. S. XI, 989.—Cur. As. Soc.
12. Mr. Elliot remarks of the Foxes of the Southern Mahratta country, that—“ It is
remarkable that though the brush is generally tipt with black, a white one is occa-
sionally found, while in other parts of India, as in Cutch, the tip is always white.’’ In
Bengal it is invariably black. This animal is identified by Mr. Ogilby with the Canis
corsac, Pallas, and certainly it agrees with the description of the latter, despite the
great difference of habitat.—Cur. As. Soc.
13. I believe Mr. Elliot to be right in identifying the Indian Wolf, Canis pailipes
of Sykes, with the true C. dupus, which certainly runs into varieties in the wild state,
not only according to climate, but even in the same locality. Those of Chinese Tartary
are very pale fulvescent, and are densely clad with matted wool during the winter :—
absolutely Wolves in Sheep’s clothing. Two specimens of the latter are in the So-
ciety’s collection.—Cur,. As, Soc. i
Cc
346 Rough Notes on the Zoology of Candahar. [No. 161.
the only persons who could approach the brute with impunity. It
was chained like a dog. I believe it effected its escape during Dr.
Baddeley’s return to Quetta on his way to Bombay. ‘‘ Laggerbagher”
of India.'*
No. 14. Herpestes griseus ?—Is this our Indian friend? It is
very common at Candahar, with precisely the habits of H. griseus.
The Afghans occasionally tame them, as do the natives of this coun-
try. It is called ‘‘ Moosh-khoorma,”’ by the Afghans. ‘‘ Nyool” of
India."
No. 15. Mustela [sarmatica, Pallas.]|—This occurs plentifully at
Quetta and Candahar, where it burrows in the ground, and produces
three or four young at a birth. I had three pairs of these beautiful
little creatures living in the same box, and although occasionally
a little bickering occurred, yet on the whole they were amica-
ble enough. A few days before I left Candahar (February 1841),
I killed and stuffed one of these animals, and the following morning,
when a young friend of mine opened the cage for the purpose of tak-
ing out another, we discovered that the two remaining pazrs had
waged war during the night with the odd one, whose mate we had
stuffed, and had killed and partly devoured it. This is a curious fact,
for the three pairs had lived together nearly from their birth, without
farther quarrelling than an occasional wrangle over their food ; yet
no sooner was one pair broken, than the others set upon and killed the
odd one. The Afghans call it “ Gorkhus,” or grave-digger, from an
idea that it frequents burial grounds for the purpose of feeding on
dead bodies. They even suppose that it lives entirely upon human
bodies, and that it digs down into the graves where it banquets in
undisturbed solitude. This notion, as may readily be supposed, is an
14. According to Vigne, this animal is very rare, if found at all, in Kashmir.
Very rarely, also, it occurs in the vicinity of Calcuttaa—Cur. As. Soc.
15. Mangusta pallipes, Blyth. This species is quite distinct from M. grisea of
India generally, (including Scindh,) having much shorter fur, and approaching nearly
to M. Edwardsu, v. auropunctata of Hodgson, if itbe not a mere variety of the latter.
It is most probably, however, distinct, and may be known from M. Edwardsii by its
paler colour, its white throat, breast, and under-parts, which are but faintly tinged with
the hue of the upper parts, and also by the light colour of its feet. In form and dimen-
sions, it appears altogether to resemble M. Edwardsii,—Cur. As. Soc.
1845. | Rough Notes on the Zoology of Candahar. 347
absurdity, the animal possessing in every respect the same propensities
as its European congeners. Its food consists of birds, rats, mice,
lizards, beetles, and even snails, all of which it finds in abundance in
the gardens around Candahar. The first I saw was brought to me
by a gardener who had dug it out of a hole ; and a pair of these little
savages was also found in another garden, where they had brought
forth their young in a hole in the earth. The propensity to destroy
life, and the thirst for blood, was soon manifested in those which I
kept confined.
One of these animals refused to feed during a day and a night, al-
though his cage was plentifully supplied with raw meat and beetles ;
but on introducing four Wagtails ( Motacillce_), he was instantly arous-
ed by their fluttering, seizing and destroying them one after the other
as quickly as possible, and then retiring with them into an inner part
of the cage, where he regaled himself on the blood of his victims, and
indemnified himself for his long fast. |
He ate little of the flesh, however, but greedily licked up the drops
of blood as they trickled from the wounds of his slaughtered prey.
He also destroyed a couple of large Rats ( Arvicole) in a similar
manner, showing great skill in seizing them so as to preclude all
chance of their either injuring him or escaping from his fierce attack.
When the rats were introduced into his cage, he was coiled up asleep
in one corner of the inner part, but hearing them bustling about he
was soon on the alert, and, cautiously advancing to the small round
hole which formed the entrance to his sleeping apartment, took a sur-
vey of his unsuspecting visitors. He then drew back as if to avoid
observation, until one of the rats approaching his retreat, he suddenly
darted upon him and pulled him, in spite of his squeaks and struggles,
into his sanctum, where he soon despatched his victim.
After a short pause, he again placed himself so as to obtain a view |
of the remaining rat, which shortly fared a similar fate to its compa-
nion. With the latter, however, there was a severe struggle, and the
ferret was obliged to leave his inner apartment; yet although he rolled
over and over in the scuffle, he never quitted his hold, and so dexte-
rously had he seized his prey, that to bite or shake him off was equally
impossible. He seized both rats precisely in the same place, namely,
.
348 Rough Notes on the Zoology of Candahar. [No. 161.
immediately behind the ear, which at once secured himself from in-
jury and soon rendered his foe helpless. When the rat ceased to
struggle, he bit him once or twice sharply through the back of the skull,
and as the blood flowed from the wound, the ferret lapped it up with
his tongue. There was never any attempt to suck the blood of his
prey, as is commonly but erroneously asserted of his tribe, though he
continued both with birds and beasts to lick up the warm stream as
long as it flowed from the wounds he had inflicted. One would have
thought that the slaughter and the blood of the three birds and two
large rats would have satiated his ferocity for a time, but although he
made no attempt to devour the prey he had slain, his appetite for blood
and murder was still as keen as ever, and scarcely had he finished his
second draught ere he sallied forth to slaughter two young rats which
had been introduced along with the old ones. These, being as yet blind,
he seized by the nape of the neck, and having killed them with one
bite, carried them also into his den, where he stored them up in a cor-
ner with their murdered parents, and the remains of the wagtails.
In the evening, after nightfall, when all was getting hushed and dark,
he came forth, and then regaled himself on the store of provisions he
had laid up.
I was amused one day at the successful defence of a Shrike ( Lanius
lahitora). On introducing the bird into the box, it kept for some time
twisting and turning itself about, and flitting its tail from side to side,
watching the ferret with evident alarm. At last it flew so near that
the ferret sprung at and caught it by the wing, and then lay with his
fore-feet upon the bird, and began to peer sharply round to see that no
intruder was near to interrupt his meal. As he turned his head back
to begin the feast, the Shrike who had watched his movements, seized
him so suddenly by the nose, that the ferret in astonishment and pain
shook his head and jumped up, thus releasing the bird which I per-
mitted to escape as a reward for his valour, and he flew away chatter-
ing, as if laughing in his sleeve at the trick he had played his enemy.
These animals are, strictly speaking, nocturnal, though not unfre-
quently on the move during the day ; this however may probably be
owing to bad success during the night in finding food, so that hunger
may compel them sometimes to wander forth during the day time. Those
1845. ] Rough Notes on the Zoology of Candahar. 349
which I kept, having plenty of food to eat, slept almost throughout
the day, seldom venturing abroad until nightfall, when they became
very restless. They produce young about the end of March or be-
ginning of April, when the winter has passed away and the warm wea-
ther is setting in, bringing in its train numbers of quail and other
small birds on which the animal preys.
The Afghans assert that they are never seen during winter, and that
although the summer is the season when they appear, they are never
abundant. This latter assertion I can take upon myself to contradict,
as they are far from scarce, for I have had during the summer
months more than a dozen specimens brought to me.
If true that they are only found in summer, it is probably because
they remain in a state of somnolency during the winter. The Af-
ghans, however, are so little skilled in Natural History, and so addicted
to lying, that it isa matter of much difficulty at any time to gather
the truth from them. Some informed me that though the animal
was not seen around Candahar during winter, yet that they were
plentiful in the hills wherever there was good jungle cover, and that
in summer they wandered down to the plains.
Now this assertion carries an error on the face of it, for an ani-
mal delighting in cold climates would not resort to the warm plains
in summer, nor would the inhabitant of a warm climate seek the hills
in winter. As therefore they only appear in the plains and valleys
during the summer, the probability is (if they do not migrate to the
south) that they remain dormant during the winter in holes and bur-
rows. The latter is indeed the most probable, for to the southward
the Candahar valley is bounded by the sandy desert which stretches
away from the Kojah Amram range of hills to beyond Herat, into
Persia.'¢
These animals emit the same disagreeable fetid odour which charac-
terises the genus. The body is long, slender, and extremely supple ;
the loins appearing, as in the feline tribe, to be so loosely articulated, that
the hinder parts actually shakeand totter whenever the animal puts itself
16. The truth, I suspect, will prove to be that the Mustela sarmatica occurs at all
seasons, like its various congeners. Among the true Carnivora, I know only of the
genus Ursus which fairly hybernates.—Cur. As. Soc.
350 Rough Notes on the Zoology of Candahar. [No. 161.
in motion. The tail is capable of being expanded into a good sized
brush, and in this state forms an excellent defence for the back.
I once put a large snake into a box with one of these ferrets; the
snake at once withdrew to one corner and sought for a hole to escape
by ; while the ferret arched its back, kept the head erect, and spread the
tail out like a thick brush, which it turned over its back. In this
manner he approached and retreated from the snake several times,
watching its movements in some alarm. The ferret often tried to
seize the snake by the back of the head, and as often received a bite
in return, until the little beast became quite terrified. The snake
was harmless, but too powerful for the ferret to attack success-
fully.
The markings of this beautiful species are as follow, namely,
through or across the face are three distinct and well defined bands ;
the lowest one runs across embracing the eyes, and is of a brown co-
lour ; above this is a second narrower band of a pure white; and a
third of black passes across the forehead, along the anterior base of
the ears, descending to join the same colour on the throat. The
chin and muzzle are white, the nose brown. The fore part of the throat,
neck, breast, fore and hind legs, are glossy black. The upper half of
the ears is white, with long hairs like a fringe; the crown and nape
are also white with brown spots; the hinder neck and all the upper
parts of the back and sides, are yellowish- white with numerous brown
or liver-coloured spots of indeterminate shape. The tail is greyish-
yellow for two-thirds from the base, and the remainder to the tip black.
Ears ovate, or rounded and open ; eyes pale bluish or grey, by day-
light. The head is broad, muzzle short, rounded and obtuse. Body
long and remarkably slender, very supple, like the common ferret.
The cry it makes when irritated resembles that of the mungoose
( Mangusta [ pallipes |).
No. 16. Mustela ? This is a skin which was given me by a
Candahari, and came he said from the neighbourhood of Cabool. I
suspect it to be the “ Dil-kuffub” of Burnes’s Bokhara.’”
17. This is lost ; it was ‘‘ sooty black with a white crescent or gorget on the throat.”’
1S
‘
¥
7
=
1845. | Rough Notes on the Zoology of Candahar. 351
No. 17. Lutra (monticola, Hodgson, J. A. S. VIII, 320; appa-
rently'*]. These animals are abundant in the larger rivers, such as the
Helmund and Argandab. I could never obtain more than the dried
skins, which are prepared for the Bokhara market, and sell for eight
Candahar or six Company’s Rupees each. They are made into
dresses, and are so durable as to be handed down from father to son!
So at least runs the fable !
No. 18. Erénaceus collaris? This species I found in the sandy
tracts of Bhawulpore, but as I have only the description of it left, I
am uncertain as to its identity with the above named species.
The animal was clothed with stiff quills on the upper parts of the
body ; these were white on the basal half and jet black on the up-
per half: the face and under parts of the body were clothed with
sooty-black hairs: ears large, ovate, and ashy-gray: snout long and
projecting over the under jaw: eyes round, black, and of medium
size: tail short and obtuse, nearly naked: chin white.
Another, in all respects like the last, except that the quills on the
sides have pale brown tips. This may be the effect of age or sex, as
the specimen was a female.
These were found in separate holes beneath a thorny bush called
‘‘ Jhund,” in the desert tracts of shifting sand between Sundah Ba.
dairah and Hasilpoor, on the left bank of the Garra, where they are
numerous.
A third specimen seems to be distinct: all the under parts except
the legs and tail are clothed with soft hair of a pure white, which passes
also in a broad band across the forehead ; immediately below this is a
band of blackish hue across the face, embracing the eyes; and the
rest of the face to the nose is greyish: nose naked: eyes round and
black: ears large and ovate, ashy-grey: head rat-shaped: body and
sides above armed with quills which are of a dirty white, or very pale
shade of brown, for nearly two-thirds from the base; then a dark brown
band, and the tips pale brown. This colouring gives the animal a
pale brown appearance. The legs and tail are sooty or blackish, as in
18. Z. monticola would seem to be the most common species of the Himalaya, and
the Society has a specimen procured so low as near Moorshedabad, on the Hoogly.
It is readily known by the comparative harshness of its fur.—Cur, As. Soc.
352 Rough Notes on the Zoology of Candahar. [No. 161.
the foregoing: claws of moderate length, sharp and whitish. This
specimen was smaller than the other two, and appeared to carry the
back more arched than they did. It was found in the neighbour-
hood of ‘“‘Shah Fareed,” on the left bank of the Garrah. It is not
unlike the European Hedgehog.!9
The habits of all three were the same. They are nocturnal, and
during the day conceal themselves in holes or in the tufts of high
jungle grass. Their food consists of insects, chiefly of a small beetle
which is abundant on the sandy tracts of Bhawulpore, and belongs to
the genus Blaps. They also feed on lizards and snails. When
touched, they have the habit of suddenly jerking up the back with
some force, so as to prick the fingers or mouth of the assailant, and at
the same time emitting a blowing sound, not unlike the noise pro-
duced when blowing upon a flame with a pair of bellows. When
alarmed they have the power of rolling themselves up into a com-
plete ball, concealing the head and limbs as does the European
Hedgehog. On hearing any noise, it jerks the skin and quills of the
neck completely over its head, Jeaving only the tip of the nose free,
which is turned quickly in every direction to ascertain the nature of
the approaching danger. If a foe in reality come nigh it, the head is
instantly doubled under the belly towards the tail, and the legs being
withdrawn at the same time, it presents nothing but a prickly ball
to its assailant, and which is in most cases a sufficient protection.
In this state it remains for some time perfectly motionless, until all
being quiet and the danger past, it ventures first slowly, and almost
imperceptibly, to exsert the nose, the nostrils working quickly as if to
ascertain that all is safe again. It then gradually uncoils until the
eyes are left free, and if satisfied that its foe has passed on, it opens up
and walks off with a quick but unsteady gait; or if again startled by
the slightest noise near it, it is instantly entrenched within its thorny
armour. ‘They use the snout much in the same manner as the hog
does, turning up the leaves and grasses in search of food, and shoving
each other out of the way with it when angry. They make a grunt-
ing sort of noise when irritated. They are remarkably tenacious of
19. The description of this third specimen applies very well to other specimens, which
I have referred to Z, collaris, Gray.—Cur. As. Soc.
1845. ] Rough Notes on the Zoology of Candahar. 353
life, bearing long abstinence with apparent ease,—a provision of
nature highly useful and essential in the desert tracts they inhabit.
It is probable, too, that they remain during the cold season in a semi-
torpid state, as the species which occurs in Afghanistan hybernates.
N. B.—From the forehead proceeds a powerful muscle, passing
round the body along the medial line at the junction of the quills
and hair; this enables the animal to protect itself in the following
manner :—the head being bent downwards to the belly, and the legs
tightly doubled under, the contraction of this muscle causes the edges
of the skin, where the quills and hairs unite, (which is along the sides, )
to be drawn together, by which means the limbs are shut in, and en-
closed as if in a purse with sliding strings.
No. 19. Exinaceus Laurttus, Pallas, (nec Geoffroy), or a closely
allied species*°]. This species is common from Quetta to Candahar.
Length from tip of snout to base of tail about a foot; tail an inch and
a half. Ears very large and rounded, cinereous ; face, inside of ears
and chin as far as the base of the ears, very pale cinereous, or nearly
white ; from thence all the under parts are sooty or rusty-black ; head,
limbs and under parts, clothed with soft hairs of a sooty black Lor
fuliginous-brown ] ; feet darkest ; tail black, obtuse and nearly naked ;
toes five on all the feet; claws whitish. Quills banded with dirty
straw colour and black. ‘This is the description of an adult male
taken at Candahar. They feed on slugs, and helices with which the
fields at Candahar are overstocked ; they also prey on worms, insects, and
20. The Siberian Z. auritus is described, in Pennant’s Quadrupeds, to have the ‘‘ up-
per jaw long and slender ; with very large open ears, naked, brown round the edges,
with soft whitish hairs within; tad shorter than that of the European Hedgehog:
upper part of the body covered with slender brown spines, encompassed at the base, and
near the ends, with a ring of white: the belly and limbs clothed wiih a most elegant
soft white fur.”” The statements here italicized do not apply to the great-eared
Afghan Hedgehog, the ears of which measure an inch and a quarter long posteriorly,
and seven-eighths of an inch broad; their colour white: the dorsal spines are a little
grizzled at the surface, and radiate from the middle of the back, meeting those from
the sides, which are disposed irregularly as in the British Hedgehog.
The muzzle is rather short and broad: the dentition presenting three subequal
pre-molars above, anterior to the scissor-tooth; the first being largest, and the third
scarcely inferior to the second, but having a basal inner lobe; the small hindmost
molar is also well developed, and is placed much less obliquely than in the European
Hedgehog. Should it prove new, I propose that it be termed #. mega/otis.
3D
354 Rough Notes on the Zoology of Candahar. [No. 161.
lizards. They hide during the day in holes, and come out in the
evening to feed. They retire to hybernate in deep holes in the earth
in the end of October or beginning of November, according to the sea-
son, and remain in a semi-torpid condition till February, when they
again appear.*!
( To be continued. )
On the Course of the River Nerbudda. By Lieut.-Colonel QusetEy, Agent
G. G. S. W. Frontier; with a coloured Map of the River from
Hoshungabad to Jubbulpoor.*
The leading article of No. 151, of the Journal Asiatic Society for
1844, is headed ‘‘ Note on the Navigation of the River Nerbudda,”
compiled from information afforded by a number of officers. The map
that is given with it, is part of the one that accompanied my report,
forwarded to Government, (Lord Wm. Bentinck,) 13th June, 1834.
I find that I have not a copy of that report, and have requested Capt.
Spence, the Deputy Commissioner at Hoshungabad, to favor me with
one; but from private memoranda, I am enabled to state that the ex-
pense would be too great to calculate on an uninterrupted navigation,
or admit of such water carriage as would be safe, and profitable. The
nature of the rocks, compact basalt, or granite, renders it almost impossi-
ble to employ the agency of gunpowder to clear away the obstructions,
it would be too slow a process for the extent to be undertaken. Again,
supposing the whole distance cleared, including all the greater obstacles
near Hindia, Mundhar, Dhardree, the Suhashurdhara Burkhery, He-
runphal, &c. the elevation of the country at Hoshungabad being about
14 or 1500 feet above the sea, the rapidity and shallow body of the
current would consequently be totally inadequate for boats of any size ;
and would be followed by the continued cutting away of the earth, and
21. Hedgehogs are found in the very hottest parts of peninsular India, and I have
been assured, on good authority, of the existence of a species in the Bengal Soonder-
buns. Four species from this country have been named already; but 1 have great
reason to suspect the existence of others, and recommend that all collectors should
preserve as many species of these animals, as they may be able to obtain.—Cur. ds.
Soc.
* See Proceedings for February, 1845,
1845.] On the Course of the River Nerbudda. 355
a renewal of obstructions. For the river is too large to be retained for
any distance by banks or walls across it, so that if the inclination
should here and there be moderate, as from Nursingpoor to Hoshunga-
bad, Hoshungabad to Hindia, at. Mundlaiser, &c., the descents would
be still more precipitous at other places, between hills and rocks
towering above one thousand feet on either side.
The country where these obstacles present themselves is mountainous,
so that canals could not be cut from any given point above, so as to lead
back into the river to a navigable part below, for the descent to the sea
is, as it were, in steps. The possibility of making the river navigable of
course exists, but the expense would be such as to prevent any attempt
being made by the Government; nor do I think that the outlay could
ever be made good. At Hoshungabad, the river is from 700 to 900
yards (and even more) wide; it often in the rains overflows its banks,
which are at that place from 50 to 70 feet in height. What command
could be hoped for, over such a body of water, running at the rate of
six or seven “miles an hour, only, increasing in size as it flows to the
west, where the chief obstacles exist; at Dhardree vast trees are preci-
pitated into the depths below, often coming up shattered into many
pieces. |
The native Surveyor in speaking of the rocks, said they were iron-
stone, alluding merely to their hardness. He mentioned the kindness of
the Bheels who attended his party along the river, in carrying some of
the sepoys and others taken ill, procuring supplies and game, but seem-
ed to think the river could not be rendered available for navigation.
His map was written in Nagree on a large scale, and from that I reduc-
ed it, and sent it in the rough, as I had not time from my other duties
to do it more carefully. The chief coal discoveries were subsequently
made in the tours of the Division that I undertook annually, and dis-
closed mineral resources that are unbounded.
The coal found at Bénar, in my opinion, must be that used for rail-
way communication ; it cokes, as the Welch coal does when piled in heaps
of any length, about five or six feet in height, and nine or ten feet base,
forming an angle, covering it with dust, and allowing it to burn slow-
ly from end to end. The coal was tried on the Indus Steamer at Bom-
bay, 100 maunds did what 183 of the best Glasgow coal was required
356 On the Course of the River Nerbudda. [No. 161,
to perform, heating one of the boilers of the steam engine fifteen
minutes sooner than the Scotch coal.
The iron found at the same place has already been proved to be of
the very best kind. The late Col. Presgrave constructed an iron sus-
pension bridge of similar iron (found at Tendoo Khera on the north
bank of the Nerbudda) at Saugor, which is at this present moment in
as good order as the day it was made, 10 or 15 years ago. Having such
coal, iron, and lime (which abounds), furnaces and founderies should
be erected at Bénar, rails made, and the whole of the material supplied
for the rail communication of India.
The produce of the richest country in India, the Nerbudda valley,
would then find its way into the market; the wheats and white linseed
now so much admired, and justly appreciated, would be attainable every
where for seed, or consumption, and a country paying about 10 or 15
lakhs of land revenue (I do not include more than the Nerbudda
valley and Baitool) would give triple that amount without being felt. So
long as the present inefficient mode of carrying away the produce of an
extensive agricultural district remains in use, the value of the land
must be low; but on the abandonment of Bunjarra bullock-carriage and
the adoption of rail lines, the prices of wheat, boot gram, linseed, &c.,
would more than triple themselves, It often happens that wheat sells
for from 90 to 110 seers (90 Sicca weight) for a rupee; gram, 110
to 120 seers; linseed, 80 to 90 seers for one rupee; all of which grains
are of the most superior description, and unequalled in India. Cotton,
sugar, &c. are also produced, of the best description.
The part of the map I have now the pleasure to send, completes the
course of the River from Jubulpoor to Hoshungabad; I have added the
coal and iron sites, and trust that the information may be acceptable.
J. H. Ouszrey,
Agent Gour. Genl. 8. W. F.
2nd August, 1845.
SEIennow
Menavons Riven Sones
Hosnuncasao
Ratnad to 4
the Journal As
by HM South
1 Mughely
lyre
3S Dene
4 Bugtsrra Nala
i Jotpe
hoonsore
Signie
8 framers tihiaue
9 Raamete
10 Trew
1 Reorwars
42 Pushurye Vola
13 Cheogra.
14 Machna Nola
Moourkutye
16 Ramkeoar Nala.
17 Pata: Nala.
Male
fo Sumer Nola
21 Gheyra Nala
Borkhery
23 Doodner Nala
24 Little Grangye
25 6
naye
26 Ridkhery
27 Mccdior Weaker
28 Phookna Nala
29 Sunny
50 Dei
34 Thajh
32 Pootree Kia Thirrs
34 Doodhex Sharnea
56 Chowlar Shirne
38 Boodgaar
37 Dana
SP Gornware
30 Pipudia
40 Kuli
cou: J.
May
of the
from
*y
R. OUSELEY
Original of 15th June 1654.
of Original, for
RIVER NERBUDDA,
EOSHUNGASAD w JUBULFOOR,
with the
NO COAL SITES.
tate Soe! af Berga
Judy 1845
4
LEFT BANK NERBUDDA RIVER.
Rohiya Nala
Watechurrar
Dhusine Nave
Kakurghewt Islanc
Dokra. Nala
farya
Rohuiya Nala
Seakchayre Noles
Wirwos
Ommerta Nake
Churola
Bootyne Nala
Pitere
Jhirna Nala
Kotyo
Vikveres
Lekrin Nalo
Hiarchausnna Nolo
Marve Nale
Heerapoor
Timeranvus
Dhaga Wate
Mahasete Nola
Rachanr (small)
Bieta nla
Cure
Proriy: Nola
Toovapany
Pippa
Bhaga-nale
Kaleloxch
p Bore Rwer
Murvoakhery
Pitnaa
Phase ya rete
Hirle
Thuskoly
Madiye Nesta.
Sundook
Oodiye Nakm
Doodhye River
01 Jerba male
102 Kaxtize Sonreles
103 Surutypa
joa Stantee
105 Serra
(06 Tericpean nate
107 Stetwarrs
9 Mache
dyauree
SRasrenae
2 Gulchex
U3 Mudicp
4 Midi re master
115 Scunkehe
6 Guynye
7 Meharry
13 Bi
ndchery
19 Guketa Waker
(20 Rayux nate
121 Brwerpoor
22 Pardee
23 Ramnugur
D4 Pandoohi
125 More-nala
126 Sutwassa
(27 Sangakherve
Be Mehragaon
29 Kandurwarre
(50 AmIhery
14 Dhan. Busliwwarrn
B2 Dhan Vieereerabad.
(35 Cunere
134) Nigwurre
135 Poonvas
196 Bikorce
157 Bhustworre
38 Nale
139 Bunkherss
0 Alurkhorw
41 Dhansce
W2 Goorka
TAS Sookerworer ra:
444 Core.
15 Sukutpoor
M46 Tileher mater
| 7 Chasmetten
| 4 Hever orton
f
Gok
\ ° Tendookhers
Thi Goal
the Indus
srry Chad
5 Lialpeor
4 Khedery nate
Ravmrulgger
Didputpeet
7 Laméte Corl
Gopalpoor
2: Gowree Shuunier
Chivww Volo
(8 Piperva
Taputhoar neala
Mo Keech
16 deetulpoor
47 Matkuch
1 Sheyhee
Upistar
Vienkhery
25 Shutar
Rai nate
27 Kitwe nate
Burhistly
YO Cahir wants
so Dakhery
SI Pewla
32 Sawgpoere:
33 Ansesdar
34 Koonda
35 Rehne
37 Moora
38 Shotakhery
39 Vitern Raya’
40 Bich
“
4 Murye-nata
42 Rampoora:
45 Ochre nala
44 Gohulpeor
4S Boorse
16 Kevtee
42 Coolta mate
48 Sagene Ghat
RIGHT
Shivricn rest,
the
Chupootns ;
Kater
Paste
ugh rater
triyes
Chatterposr
Tirte
Ser
Think rete
Lilet
Sencoor River
Whedone note
Toner amir
Lert nal
Viye Khera
Tumpoora
Recher
Burn nate
driye
Basshher:
Pinta nate,
hearess
Jhurwe nalo
Boras
Rah
Svorya-nala
Ootye
Nerere
Mohure
Kheteghan
Chuckley~riake
Pooraizea
Behra
Stonce
Pusheores
Feotpoer
BANK NERBUDDA RIVER.
Kealee
Motelavcr
Bhamunwarra
Sunkherc
Gora
Hheotye
Vehevsigee
Fsakey
Cadury
Semulwarra
Sore nate
Dehvoe
Koosrmkhera,
Vadnawre
Dhicurcex
Chakee mala
nghaut nite
MoondyeKhera
Herakhery
Nery nepoor
My tonkdees
Dhane
Muteore
Sootone
Chuchueley
Oundse nals
357
A Tweuirra Memoir on THE Law or Srorms 1n Inp1A; being
the Storms of the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal, 9th to 14th
November, 1844. By Henry Pippineron.
The present memoir will scarcely need, at least for readers in India,
any introduction ; for the intense interest excited by the wrecks, and
wonderfully providential escape of the troops and crew, of the True
Briton and Runnymede, must yet be fresh in their minds. For those
however in other countries who may honour it with a perusal, I may
say that on the 9th November 1844, the barque Dzdo was dismasted
in a hurricane'in the Andaman sea, z7éo which also the transport ships
Briton from New South Wales, and Runnymede from England, both
bound to Calcutta, the two together having in European troops and crews
nearly 700 souls on board, were then running ; and that being caught
in it they were partially dismasted, and finally at about one in the
morning of the 12th both ships were—wonderful to relate—thrown high
and dry on theshore of the small or inner Andamans, the provisions of
the one serving most opportunely for the support of the people of the
other, and the whole being well able, by the troops, to defend themselves
against the savages: They were taken off by assistance obtained from the
British settlements on the Tenasserim Coast. I refer to the Summary
at the conclusion for details, as to the highly instructive lesson in our
science to be drawn from those storms ; which in brief words amount
to this—that the lives of a whole European Regiment were perilled to
the utmost possible extent, short of destruction, by the ships not heav-
ing to for six hours! As far as loss of life can be weighed or counted,
the loss of a European Regiment in India would be equal to the loss of
an average, or a first-rate, battle!
Abridged Log of the Steamer Royat SoveREIGN, Capt. MARSHALL,
Srom Penang to Calcutta.
On 9th November, 1844.—r.m. Light breeze SSE. and clear wea-
ther. 8 p.m. abreast of Seyer Island, altered course to North. Midnight
“ fine steady breeze with drizzling rain.”
10th November.—a.m. At 1 breeze increasing; at 2 heavy gale
WNW. Ship hove to under balanced main-trysail. 4 a.m. gale in-
358 Twelfth Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. [No. 161.
creasing, ship hove on her beam ends, stowed the trysail; 10 squally
with heavy rain; 11 a.m. began to clear up. Noon, strong gale and
clear weather. Distance run from noon 9th, 138 miles. At noon
centre of St. Matthew’s Island East 3 N., distant 20 miles, Lat. Obs.-
9°50' N.
PM. Stopped steaming for repairs; course having been always
NNW. At 2-30 heavy gale NNW.; by 8, wind SSW. hard gale and
heavy squalls; all hands at the pumps. At midnight gale moderat-
ing, and the wind shifting to the SE. made all sail to get off the lee
shore, course NNW.
llth November.—2 a.m. Squally with heavy rain. 4 a.m. clearing
up, and fine breeze from the SE. noon Lat. Obs. 11° 6’ N. centre
of Clara Island EbN. 4 N. distant 28 miles. Distance run from noon
10th to noon 11th, 58 miles.
Abridged Log of the Dutch Barque Farren Hair, Capt.
Jrom Batavia bound to Calcutta, reduced to civil time.
7th November, 1844.—Lat. noon 8° 48' N., Long. 96° 48’ E. p.m,
to midnight, light and variable winds from the NNE. and NE.
8th November.—am. to noon, the same; wind NNE. and with light
squalls. Noon Lat. 10° 3’ N. Long. 95° 56’ E. p.m. wind NbE.
squally. By 7 p.m. ship had stood 142’ to the EDN. and had then
the wind NW. with squalls, increasing to midnight, up to which time
she stood 16’ to the NNE. |
9th November.—To 8 a.m. wind marked NW. and_ squally, 9
a.M. wind NNW. Noon increasing, preparing for bad weather.
Lat. 10° 50’ N. Long. 96° 25’. Barometer marked as “ still standing
at 29.6. p.m.* blowing fresh, increasing squalls and sea rising fast.
Wind WNW. At 2 wind shifted to SW., kept away under the
main top-sail and ran to 6 p.m. about 32 miles.” Sea rising fast. At
6 pm. wind SSW. increasing to a heavy gale, hove to. At midnight
blowing furiously.
10th November.—a.m. Increasing, boats blown and washed away.
Wind SE. and to noon the same; ‘‘ wind coming round from East to
* From this time the Log is in the form of a narrative.
1845. ] Twelfth Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 359
due North. Barometer as before. p.m. wind increasing, Barometer
beginning to fall at 1 o'clock.” At 6 p.m. wind NNE. Barometer
down to 28.5. At 9h. Barometer beginning to rise fast, a heavy squall,
wind NW. At 9-30 gale beginning to moderate. Midnight, gale
had moderated considerably.
1lth November.—a.m. Wind SW. coming gradually round to the
Southward, squalls continuing, but on the whole moderating. At 11
a.m. Barometer ‘‘ up to fair again (about 30.00 in the usual Baro-
meters), as usual.” Noon, sea going down, Lat. 13° 6 N. “N. B.
this gale went round from North to SW. SE., East and North again
twice.’* p.m. wind SSE. run from midnight to noon being 27 miles
North.
On the two following days wind moderate from the SSE.
Abridged Log of the Schooner Cuown, Capt. J. TaLBERt, from
Penang towards Calcutta, reduced to civil time.
8th November, 1844.—2 a.m. a heavy squall from the North, and
at noon squally appearances with winds variable from the North. Noon
Lat. account 9° 58’ N. Long. 96° 26’ E. p.m. winds N. Easterly and
Northerly with a heavy rising sea.
9th November.—Winds variable from the Northward and towards
noon veering to the Westward. Noon “ fresh gales with a tremendous
heavy sea,” Lat. account 10° 41’ N. Long. 95° 56’ E. p.m. wind
westerly, hauling to the South with heavy sea throughout. 10 p.m.
hove to; when up West and off NW. Wind therefore about SSW.
10th November.-——a.M. increasing gale. 9 a.m. wind marked SSW.
‘Noon strong gales, no position given. p.m. Strong galesS Westerly
to midnight, when more moderate.t
11th November.—a.m. Wind Southerly, daylight out all reefs and
fine. Noon, no position given. Wind S. Easterly ; a 6-knot breeze.
p.m. fine weather, wind S. Easterly 6 knots.
12th November.— Daylight saw Narcondam, bearing NbW. Noon
Narcondam SWS. 6 or 7 leagues. Winds SE. and ESE. 6 and 7
knots throughout.
* The paragraphs marked by commas, are literal extracts.
¢ Vessel drifting to the N. Eastward, and storm moving to the Westward ?
360 Twelfth Wemoir on the Law of Storms in India. [No. 161.
13th November.—Winds steady S. Easterly throughout. Noon Lat.
account 15° 27’ N., Long. 92° 37’ E. Noon and p.m. squally with a
heavy sea, 6 to 8 knots.
14th Nov.—S. Easterly breeze of 7 and 8 knots throughout. Noon
Lat. account 17° 53’ N., Long. 91° 00’ E. p.m. to midnight wind
N. Easterly.
15th Nov.—1 a.m. Lat. by star Rigel 19° 12' Wind NNE. Noon
Lat. 19° 33’, Long. 89° 45’ E.
Extract from the private Journal of Commander Vyner, R. N. late
of H. M. S. Wour, passenger in the Brig Dido of Calcutta, from
the Straits of Malacca to the Sandheads.
6th November, 1844.—a.m. Fine weather, light winds from the
Northward. p.m. towards midnight, fresh breezes and rainy.
7th November.—4 a.m. More moderate ; noon, light winds from the
Northward and Eastward, sunset fresh breezes and hazy.
8ih November.—2 a.m. Squalls, with strong breezes and drizzling
rain, which lasted throughout the day.
9th November.—a.M. Light breezes from the NNE., at 4 squally
dirty weather, barometer going down fast, commenced reducing sail ;
at § wind increasing furled the courses, and close-reefed the top-sails,
split the main top-sail in a squall, down royal yards; 9 a heavy
squall], put before the wind, and unbent main top-sail; it was now
blowing very hard, and a heavy turbulent sea running; at 9-20 the
mainmast went close under the hounds, and fell forward in an ob-
lique direction over the larboard bow, gale still increasing ; at 9-30 the
fore-topmast went by the board, and fell over the Jarboard bow. The
ship was now in so lumbered a state from the wreck, that it was dif-
ficult to move without being hurt by some or other of the geer fetch-
ing way. From 9 to 11 the hurricane was at its height, and blew
the whole time with unceasing violence; at 11 it suddenly fell calm,
and in about 2 of an hour the gale again commenced from SW. and
W. and blew as hard as before. Lat. at noon 11° 6’ N., Long. 96° 12’
E., at | p.m. the weather began to assume a better appearance ; but
the sea was running immensely high.
1845. ] Twelfth Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 361
The wind at 3 p.m. began to veer to the Southward, and blew
moderately. The Barometer did not fall below 29° 30’ during the
hurricane.
The wind from SE. continued until the 15th, when it ended ina
very heavy gale, drawing round to SW. the violence of which lasted
from 10 a.m. until 3-30 p.m. and here ended our disasters.
ARTHUR VYNER.
Abridged Log of the Brig Divo, Capt. SaunpErs, from Penang to
Calcutta, civil time.
The Dido left Penang on the 4th November, 1844, and had varia-
ble, baffling, light winds from the North and between NE. and NW.
so that by the 7th, at 8 a.m. she had the great Seyer Island bear-
ing ENE., distance 24 miles, which would place her at the time in Lat.
8° 30’ N., Long. 97° 23’ E.
On the 8th November.—The same winds and weather a.m. At
noon, no observation ; p.m. light winds from NNE. to NW. with driz-
zling rain.
9th November.—Winds from NW., NNW., and at 8 a.m. North,
with very dirty appearance. At 9, hard gales, obliging her to run
to the South, the wind not marked but, as by Commander Vyner’s
note, NE. At 10, earried away mainmast head, and by noon when
Lat. by account is 11° 6’ N., Long. 96° 12’ E. nothing but foremast and
bowsprit standing. Shortly afterwards the wind is marked South.
10¢h November.—a.m. hard gales South to SSE. noon gale still
keeping up and drawing to the SE. p.m. wind SE. 8 p.m. E.
terrific gales and increasing, ship labouring dangerously, losing boats
&e. &c., and in distress. No position given at noon; 10 p.m. gale de-
creasing a little; midnight wind SE.
11th November.—Gale moderating, wind SE. throughout, no obser-
vation. Clearing the wreck.
12h November.—a.m. moderate SE. breezes, at noon Lat. 13° 39’
N. wind marked S. Easterly throughout.
13th November.—Wind marked SE, throughout, light breezes and
fine. Noon Narcondam SbW. 30’, Lat. 14° 04’.
3 E
362 Twelfth Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. [No. 161.
14th November.—Wind SE., 5 and 6-knot breeze throughout.
Noon Lat. 15° 07’ ; p.m. squally and heavy rain.
15th November.—a.m. wind SE. fresh breezes with heavy rain
and cross confused sea. 8 a.m. to noon, wind marked South to SSW.
and SW. 8 fresh gale and dirty weather. 1 to 8 p.m. wind marked
West to NW. and West ; at 8 gale increasing ; hove to at 4 p.m.;
8 p.m. wind falling light, and sea with it ; at midnight fine.
16th November.—Wind marked W. 4. a.m., when NW. weather
marked fine; noon Lat. 17° 50’ N. from which to midnight 19¢/ calms ;
noon 19¢h Lat. 18° 58’, Long. 89° 50’ E.
Extract from the Log and Chart of the Ship Briron, Capt. Haun,
From Sydney to Calcutta, with Troops on board, reduced to civil
time.
Capt. Hall having favoured me both with his log-book and chart,
I note here the position laid down upon the chart, as presenting a
summary view of her track into the storm, and her drift in it accord-
ing to Capt. Hall’s estimate at the time.
Lat. N. Long. E.
8th November. nity “fe Mitr ak RO: ” set aaa
Oth fe Noon, se soe oe Duh Owes ade eae
" J ee Ce wis iy Qo Ae. inieuey Oe!
10th_ ,, ue ais ep a)? 00’ ec ee Soar
ae oe - 4% « «np AO eee 5 wal Qa
1) Re Would have been in, 12°04’ .. 93° 56’
On the 8th November.—The Briton was at noon in Lat. 8° 25’ N.
Long. 96° 55’ E. or about abreast of the Seyer Islands, with very light
baffling winds from the N. Eastward: and cloudy weather, which
to midnight freshened gradually .to a 4-knot breeze. Wind at 1 p.m.
marked North, and for the rest of the Log, “ variable from SW. to
NW. 3
9th November.—1 a.m. course is marked WDN. to noon, the wind
being from the NbW.; at 3-30, strong breezes. At noon, light and
fine, Lat. Obs. 9° 10’ N., Long. 96° 30’ E. p.m. wind freshening fast
from SW. and becoming SSW. at midnight, an 8-knot breeze ;
run 83’ NWDN. from noon. At 6 p.m. dark gloomy weather,
1845. ] Twelfth Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 363
and Simpiesometer 29.30. At midnight strong gale and squally, mak-
ing preparations for bad weather.
10th November.—4 a.m. Simpiesometer 29.20. To 6a.m. ran 38’
NWDN. when ‘“* blowing terrifically with awful squalls,” hove to
with head to the NNW. 9 a.m. gale still increasing, took in the
main top-sail and lashed a tarpaulin in the mizen rigging; 9-30 a.m.
top-masts blown over the side, and all the sails from the yards.
Simpiesometer fell from 4 a.m. when at 29.20, to 28.10. At noon
gale lulled off with showers of rain, and dark gloomy weather. Lat.
by account 11° 1’ N., Long. 95° 12’ E. Simpiesometer not rising.
p.m. ship lying to with head to the WN. Westward, the gale hav-
ing again come on from the SW. at 0.30 p.m., and blowing with
more violence than ever. 2 p.m. terrific hurricane, boats blown to
pieces. In the log, wind marked “ variable from NE. to ESE..,”
at 11 p.m. head ‘‘ up North off N.W.” Midnight hurricane still
increasing.
11th November.—a.m. Head as before to noon, the same wind from
1.30 a.m. pmo. terrific burricane. 2 p.m. saw a Barque about 1 of
a mile to the Eastward with only her lower main and mizen masts
standing.*
At 10 p.m. hurricane lulled off with an awful swell, and dark
gloomy weather. Simpiesometer at 27.2. At 10-30 p.m. wind veered
round to the NE. blowing with more violence than before, and start-
ing the front of the poop. Throughout this sea log (from noon) ship is
marked ‘‘ Heading from SE. to North,” and ‘“ Wind blowing all
round the compass.”
Fearful of the poop being blown away altogether, took the chrono-
meters, sextants, charts, &c. below. Midnight hurricane still blowing
terrifically.
12th November.—lh. lim. a.m. struck, and at daylight the ship
was found high and dry in a mangrove swamp; the Runnymede being
close to them. Their Lat. was 12° 2’ N., Long. 93° 12’ 40” East.
' They were taken from the Islands by ships sent from Moulmein.
After the ship was on shore the remainder of the gale was from
ENE., at which point it fell to fine weather. Capt. Hall estimates the
rise of the sea, (the storm wave) on the shore as at least thirty feet!
He, farther, does not estimate the ship’s apparent average, drift (such
* This was the Runnymede.
364 Twelfth Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. [No. 161.
as seamen usually allow for in a gale) at more than four miles per
hour, having once hove the log to ascertain it.
Abstracts of the Log and Chart of the Ship RuNNYMEDE, Captain
Dourty, from England to Calcutta, with. Troops on board, reduc-
ed to civil time.
As with the Briton’s Log, I have thought it also best here to set
down the Latitudes and Longitudes from the chart at first.
Lat. N. Long. E.
7th November. .. 5 ff BF SG ihe 8 96° 51’
Sth ign bs aie 9° Bit as 96° 35’
Oth > hs ae e. OP 52S Bh 96° 27'
10th . ‘ Se 4° ETD Gr es: 96° 0’
Friday, 8th November.—Heavy squalls with unsettled weather
nearly through the whole 24 hours; winds variable NE. and N. Wes-
terly; Lat. noon 9° 32’ N., 96° 25’ E. At 7 a.m. more moderate, sun
obscure.
Saturday, 9th November.—Winds variable, at 5-30 wind NNW.
squally, in 2nd reefs of the topsails ; at 9-30 a.m. wind backing to the
Westward, tacked to the Northward. Noon, sun obscure, Lat. 9° 52’
N., Long. 96° 27’ E. wind WSW. strong breeze; rainy and squally ;
P.M. increasing, making preparations for bad weather.
Sunday, 10th November.—Barometer falling, strong gale WSW.
with heavy squalls; at 5 a.m. in courses and close-reefed the topsails.
At 6 a.m. wind SW. blowing very heavily, in fore topsail and brought
ship to the wind under close reefed main topsail and main trysail.
Noon no observation, Lat. by account 11° 6’ N., Long. 96° 0' E.
Hurricane of wind, Bar. 29.00, and falling. At 1 p.m., ship under main
trysail only. At 1-30 p.m. the fere and main top-gallant masts were
blown away. Wind South blowing very severely, the main trysail
blown to atoms, ship under bare poles, and laying beautifully to the
wind, with helm amidships and perfectly tight. The hurricane accom-
panied with a deluge of rain. At 4 p.m. wind SE. blowing terrifi-
cally, hatches all fastened down, starboard quarter boat washed away.
At 6-30 p.m. nearly calm, wind backing to the SW. Sea went down.
Bar. 28.45, kept ship away NbE. and got the top-sails re-secured,
portions of them having blown adrift. At 8 r.m. Wind SW. hollow
ae =
1845. | Twelfth Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 365
gusts; brought ship to wind on lJarboard tack. At 6-15 hurricane as
heavy as before. At 8-30 the larboard quarter boat was torn from
the davits and blown across the poop, carrying away the binnacle, and
crushing the hen-coops on its passage. At 9 r.m. wind if possible in-
creasing, the foremast broke into three pieces carrying away with it
the jiboom, main and mizen top-masts, starboard cathead, and main
yard, the main and mizen masts alone standing. At 10 p.m. the wind
and rain so severe that the men could not hold on the poop, bail-
ing the water from between decks which is forced down the hatches,
but the ship is quite tight, and proving herself to be a fine sea boat.
The pumps attended to, drawing out the water forced down hatches,
mast coats, and top-sides forwards.
Monday, \\th November.—Hurricane equally severe; wind SE.
Bar. 28.0; the gusts so terrific mixed with drift and rain, that no
one could stand on deck ; advantage was therefore taken of the lulls to
drain the ship out and clear the wreck. The starboard bower anchor
hanging only by the shank painter and the stock (iron) working into
the ship’s side, the chain was unshackled and the anchor cut away.
Noon Lat. account 11° 6’ N., Long. 95° 20’ E. No observations since
the 7th. Bar. apparently rose a little. Hurricane equally severe in the
gusts, the ship perfectly unmanageable from her crippled state, but
riding like a sea bird over a confused sea running apparently from
every point of the compass. A large Barque with loss of top-masts
and main yard drifted ahead of us, and a Brig was seen to leeward
totally dismasted. At 4 p.m. Bar. fell to 27.70, and Cummin’s mine-
ral Simpiesometer left the index tube. Hurricane blowing terrifically,
the front of the poop to leeward, cabin door and sky-lights torn away,
and expecting every moment the poop to be torn off her. The severcty
of the wind ts beyond description, there is nothing tocompare ito, for,
unless present, no one could conceive the destructive power and weight
of mind crushing every thing before it as if it were a metallic body.*
At 1 p.m. no abatement, every one, sailor and soldier, doing all in their
power to keep the ship free of water, could not stand at the pumps; the
water being principally in the ’tween decks it was bailed out by the
soldiers as much as possible.
Tuesday, 12th November.—Midnight, hurricane equally severe, the
* This is a very remarkable passage, which I have put in italics, as conyeving an ex-
cellent idea of what the force of these terrific hurricanes is,
366 Twelfth Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. [((No. 161.
gusts most awful, and rudder gone. At 1-30 a.m. felt the ship strike,
and considered the destruction of our lives, as well as ship, sealed ; but
it pleased Almighty God to decree otherwise, for although the ship fill-
ed up to the lower beams with water, she was thrown so high on the
reef that the water became smooth, and the bilge pieces keeping her
upright, she lay comparatively quiet. Not knowing our position, the
ship being bilged, and fearful of her beating over the reef into deep
water let go the larboard bower anchor and found the water leaving
her. All hands fell asleep. :
Day-break, hurricane breaking, much rain, wind ESE. Bar. rising
rapidly until it stood at 29.45 ; we then, thank God, saw the loom of
the shore to leeward, the ship being nearly dry abaft; on its clearing
away we saw inside of us, up among the trees, a Jarge barque with
troops on board ; one officer and twelve men were sent over the stern
to communicate with her. At 7 a.m.the tide now rising, orders were
given for the men to land at next low water, and if possible to get
something cooked, as no fires could be kept in during the hurricane,
the crew and troops merely having biscuit and a glass of spirits dur-
ing the time it lasted. 3-30 pm. the tide having fallen sufficiently
to wade on shore, ensign Dabernt returned on board, and stated the
vessel in shore of us to be the ‘‘ Braton,” from Sydney, with three
hundred and eleven men, thirty-four women, and fifty-one children,
of H. M. 80th Regt. under the command of Major Bunbury, with a
crew of thirty-six men, bound for Calcutta, and short of every thing.
N. B.—Captain Doutty informs me that the Thermometer at the
lowest of the Barometer was at 84°, and that he considers the average
drift of the vessel not to have exceeded three miles per hour. Onshore
nearly all the trees had fallen to the S. Westward, shewing that there
the gale had been about NE. at its greatest height.
Ships BLUNDELL and Appouuine. Between 9th and 18th
November.
The Blundell was between the parallels of 2° and 12° North, and
the meridians of 90° 32’ and 92° East, with nothing but calms and
light airs.
Between the 9th and 19th.—The Appolline was in from Lat. 4° 48"
to Lat. 15° 1’ with light winds and fine weather. On the 12th only
1845. ] Twelfth Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 367
in Lat. 8° 21’ N. the Bar. fell from 29.2 to 29.00. Long. on that day
not obtained.
Abstract translated from Log of the French Ship La Petite Nancy,
Captain Duroure, from Bourdeaux to Calcutta, reduced to civil
time.
On the 10¢h November, 1844.— La Petite Nancy was in Lat. 8° 2'
N.; Long. by Chro. East of Paris 89° 52’ or of Greenwich 92° 19! Bar.
F. 28.00 or 29.85 English* Wind West, course NNE. 4’ per hour;
slight squalls and rain at times. p.m. fine, a slight swell from the
North ; at 9 p.m. wind SW. to SSW. to midnight.
11th November.—a.m. cloudy, and a swell from NE. and to noon
variable winds SSW. to West and fine; ship running 7 to 9 knots to the
NbW. At noon a heavy squall Lat. 9° 53’ N., Long. P. 89° 49'G
92° 09’ Bar. F. 27.10 or 28.29 E. p.m. to midnight run 77’ to the
NNWrd.; winds West to SW. squally, and wind rising and falling
(brise inégale et variable) at 6 sharp lightning with thunder; mid-
night finer weather and strong head sea.
12th November.—a.m. to noon run 66 miles to NbW. and NNW.
Wind WSW. to SSW. heavy sea. 9 a.m. heavy squall; noon Lat.
12° 252’, Long. 88° 55’ P. or 91° 15’ E. Gr., Bar. 27.8 F. or 29.64 E.
wind SSW. p.m. cloudy, wind WNW. to WSW. to 8 p.m. and SW.
to SSW. to midnight. p.m. ship’s run 41’ North a little Easterly ; at
midnight finer weather, carrying a top-mast studding sail.
13¢h November.--a.m. to noon run 102’ to the NNW. Winds
from WSW. to SSW. 9 a.m. heavy squalls and head sea; noon Lat.
account 14° 253’ Long. 88° 82’ P. 90° 282’ G. Bar. 27.8 F.; 29.63 E.
p.m. Run 1073’ North a little Westerly. Winds SSW. to SW. and
at midnight South. 9 p.m. sharp lightning, high irregular sea.
14th November.—a.m. to noon, made 10423’, North to NNW. up to 10
A.M. when she broached to; winds to 4 a.m. South to SW., from 4 to
8 SSW. to South ; 8 tol2 South, SSE. and ashift to SW. From 5 a.m.
blowing heavily, preparing for bad weather. 10 a.m. Bar. 27.6. F.
29.41 E.; at 3 past 10 wind shiftedt to SW. heavy gale and sea, ship
* I give the French Longitudes and Bar. heights with the reductions, to avoid over-
sights. The correction used is -++2° 20’ to bring the Long. to the meridian of Green-
wich, and for the proportional scales of the Bars. 1000 EK. : 1066 Fr.
t The word is sauté,’ which is our ‘‘ shifted.’’
368 Twelfth Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. [No: 161.
broached to, (the rudder head it was found afterwards had split) and
was laid on her beam-ends, mainsail main top-sail, boats, &c., blown
or being swept away, the sea being up to the hatchways. At 10-45
hurricane increasing, and vessel always on her beam-ends, cut away
the mizen-mast. Bar. falling to 26.7 F. 28.46 E. At 1l am. cut
away top-masts, when the ship righted a little ; Bar. having been
at 10 a.m. 27.6 F. 29.41 E.; at 10h. 40m. 27.00 F. 28.78 E.; and
at 10h. 50m. 26.7 F. 28.46 E. (a fall of nearly an inch in two hours!
and this note is from Captain Dufourg’s private memorandum), Lat.
by account at noon was 15° 47’ N., Long. 88° 12’ P. 90° 32'G. At3
p.m. the wind shifted in a heavy gust with torrents of rain to the SE.
with the same violence,* and being then to starboard, righted the vessel
completely ; but she did not lie over to port, which confirmed the
opinion of the Captain and officers that the cargo had shifted.
At half-past 3 the wind suddenly fell, but the Barometer always
remaining at 26.7 F. (28.46 E.) a renewal of the storm was expected.
At 5 p.m. the hurricane began again more violent than before, from the
SW. and continued till 9 pm. the ship always heeling to starboard.
From 9 p.m. it was moderating.
15th November.—p.m. Weather moderating fast; at day-light sav-
ing and clearing the wreck, Lat. noon by account 16° 40’ N. Long. P.
88° 37’ E., G. 90.57 E.; Bar. 27.00 F. 28.78 E. p.m. moderating to
light airs SW. and S. and heavy sea continuing.
16th November. —Daylight calm with a heavy sea, saving and clear-
ing wreck. Noon Lat. Obs. 17° 00’ N., Long. Obs. 88° 49’ E. P.
91° 09' E. Bar. 27.8 F. 29.63 E. to midnight calm.
17th November.—Calms which continued to 5 a.m. on the 19th
November. Noon Lat. Obs. 17° 6’ N. Lon. Obs. 88° 58’ F. 91° 18' G.
p.m. Bar. 28.00 E. or 29.85 E.
The ship made no water, and arrived safely at the Pilot station on
the 25th. November.
I now give a tabular view of the positions of the ships on different
days beginning with the 9th, as on the Sth we may say that there was
no bad weather, the Clown having it only a little squally, all the others
with light baffling winds and slight squalls from the North.
* The ship having drifted to the NE. and the hurricane passed on to the WN West-
ward,
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Twelfth Memoir on the Law of Storms in India.
1845.]
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372 Twelfth Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. (No. 161.
SUMMARY.
I have already remarked that on the 8th of November the weather
was fine for all the ships, none of which were to the North of Lat. 10°,
and we find on the 9th that the Dido was dismasted about the centre
of the hurricane, at 1] a.m. on that day, and by noon the calm centre
had passed her, and she was again in a hurricane atSW. This vessel’s
position therefore, and we have it most accurately fixed, (having for-
tunately in Commander Vyner, R. N. who was passenger on board of
her, an independent observer, who would make every allowance in his
notes for what might escape the Captain and officers,) gives us the place
of the centre of the storm on that day as being a little to the N. West
of her. The storm circle at this time must have been of extremely small
extent, for it had but just reached the Clown, which vessel was
only twenty miles distant from the Dzdo, which would make the circle
less than 40 miles in diameter ; but the Clown had the usual warning
of arapidly veering wind, and a tremendous heavy sea, and the fornado,
for so we might almost call it for its size, was fortunately moving ra-
pidly on, so that by her heaving to at night with the SSW. gale she
fortunately escaped running into the worst part of the tempest. I have
thus given the circle for this day a diameter of sixty miles only, which
will just include the Clown. The hurricane for this day indeed re-
markably resembles that of the Cashmere Merchant, described in my
Second Memoir, Journal Asiatic Society, Vol. 1X, p. 433, which also
occurred near the Preparis, and some of those which (see Tenth Memoir,
Journal Asiatic Society, Vol. XIII, page 113,) also arise off the coast
of Ceylon. For the centre of the storm circle on the 10th, we have
the estimated position of the Briton, which ship after running up 121
miles to the NWDN. ¢he exact course upon which she should have
cHasEp the hurricane if she had meant to do so, found herself obliged,
at 6 a.m. to heave to close to the centre, into which she had drifted
at noon ; having sunk her Simpiesometer from 29.20 at 4 a.m. to 28.30
at 6, her estimated position at noon being 11° 1’ N. 95° 12’ E. and the
Jull occurring just at thistime. The Runnymede, which vessel had also
been tempted by the treacherous fair wind, and run up 80 miles to the
NWDN. though with a falling Barometer, was about fifty miles to the
1845. ] Twelfth Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 373
Eastward of her, and had it also blowing a hurricane from about South,
judging from the log abstract, in which it is made to be SW. at ]. a.m. or
after midnight up to Noon, and South at 2h. 30’ p.m. The Dido whose
exact position this day I could not obtain, has a hurricane at SE. being
in the NE, quadrant. The hurricane had thus no doubt extended on
this day from a circle of 60 miles to one of 130, and apparently was
still doing so, for the Fattel Hair, farther to the Eastward than
the Runnymede, seems to have ran up skirting the SE. quadrant of
the storm and to have had the true storm wind at SW. when it
“ shifted at 2 p.m.” to that point. The Royal Sovereign, close in with
the land, appears to have also had a separate small storm veering
with her in a few hours, but not of any very great consequence, or at
all connected with the Briton’s and Runnymede’s; though, as I
shail subsequently shew, it may probably have been so with the
remarkable double veering of the Fattel Hair’s winds. On the
llth we have the above two ships always lying to and drift.
ing, as well as they could estimate in the hurricane, to the points
marked on the charts, which are about forty miles NNW. and
SSE. of each other, but there is no doubt that the ships saw
each other at 2 p.m. on this day; the Runnymede also saw a brig,
but this was not the Dzdo, which vessel had her foremast standing,
and was not at this time in the heart of the hurricane.* We shall
also find that the two ships Briton and Runnymede struck just after
midnight of the 11th-12th, (or between 1 and 2 in the morning
of the 12th) so that they must have been now much farther to the
Eastward than they supposed themselves. We have no fixed positions
of any other ships also from which to guide us as to the extent of the
hurricane circle on this day, and in short our only datum is that both
ships having the wind to the Eastward, z. e. the Brzton between NE.
and ESE. and the Runnymede about SE., both must have finally
drifted over to the Northern quadrants of the hurricane, though al-
ways close to its centre.
We must then therefore consider that (throwing away the odd hour
or two after midnight of the 1]th-12th) the hurricane travelled, and
carried the ships with it from the place of our centre on the 10th, to
* Probably one of the native coasting craft which run across the Bay to the ports of
the Straits.
374 Twelfth Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. (No. 161.
near that at which the ships were wrecked on the inner Andamans as
marked ; which isa distance of about 140 miles in 36 hours, or from
noon of 10th to midnight 11th-12th, and we can only estimate this
also on a direct line. Hence by noon of the 11th then, or in 24 hours,
it would then have travelled two-thirds of this distance, at which
point I have placed its centre for the llth, which the reader will
observe is wholly irrespective of the supposed positions of the ships as
marked on their charts. I have made a dotted line to shew what may
have been their drift, if we have, as I presume, approached the true
place of the centre of the storm at noon on the 11th.
The Petite Nancy, which on this day was opposite to the opening
between the Little Andaman and Nicobars, appears, though at 150
miles from the centre, as we have laid it down, to have felt some of
the effects of the storm, for we observe that with a NE. sea and squally
weather, her Barometer had fallen nearly an inch! (0.96) in the 24
hours from the 10th. And that she had the rising and falling wind
which I have so often pointed out as indicating the approach or vicinity
ofa storm. I defer the consideration of the storm which dismasted her
to its proper place in the order of time. Between | and 2 a.m. on the
12th, the Runnymede and Briton were both thrown high and dry
on shore on the inner Andamans, by a gale between ENE. and East;
and Captain Doutty of the Runnymede informs me that most of the
trees had fallen to the S. Westward, showing clearly that the centre
of the Hurricane had passed to the South of this spot. The storm
wave | shall presently consider ; but return now to the Royal Sovereign
on the opposite Coast.
We find that within a short distance of the Islands fronting the coast,
on the 10th November, the Royal Sovereign had at 2 a.m. a heavy
gale at WNW. when the vessel was hove to, and at 4 a.m. she was
on her beam ends. At 1] it began to clear up, and noon was but a
strong gale and clear weather.
Now from 2 am. to noon are 10 hours, and in this time a Steamer
in such weather, when hove to, might drift at least fifteen or twenty
miles to leeward, though keeping to with her steam; and the wind
being to the Northward of West she might drift out of the edge of the
storm circle, or as she seems afterwards to have steamed on to the NNW.
have again ran into the vortex on its western side if it was one;
1845. ] Twelfth Memozr on the Law of Storms in India. 875
so that the gale was renewed with her at NNW. veering, as she was
close to the centre,* by 8 p.m. to SSW. and moderating at midnight
of this day, when she was about in Lat. 10° 20’ N. and at noon on the
11th it was fine.
We see, first, by the chart that on the 9th, the Sovereign was only
abreast of the Seyers in 8° 30’ N., and on the 10th the whole of
the ships, except the Fatéel Hair, were at nearly two degrees distant
from her; the Runnymede, the nearest of them, being at 110 miles
off, and both the Runnymede and the Briton close to the centre of
their storms, with which therefore the Royal Sovereign’s has no sort of
connection ; for if it had, it must have been a steady gale from WSW.
It was then an independent (and perhaps an imperfectly formed)
vortex, and we have now to see whether it had any connection with
the double veering of the Fatfel Hair’s storm.
This vessel, we have seen, hove to at 6 p.m. on the 9th, being then
about in Lat. 11° 20’ N., Long. 96° 37’ E.t with a gale at SSW., and
this, by the way, proves that up to that time the centre of the principal,
or great storm, had really travelled about West, as we formerly de-
duced. The storm was also probably expanding at this time.
The Fattel Hair, gradually drifted up with the SSW. gale and sea,
so as at 1 a.m. or in 7 hours, when her drift might have been about
twenty-five miles North, to have the wind SE. and at noon on the
10th the wind was ‘‘ coming round from East todue North!” with her
so that, as she could not be now near the centre of the principal ( Briton
Dido and Runnymede’s Hurricane,) she had been overtaken by
another one, or another one had formed with her, for we can easily
conceive how a S. Easterly gale may by the effect of a new vortex
eome round, as is here described. Her position on this day at
noon is not given, but I take it to have been—as she must have drifted
to the NW. West, and even WSW. with the winds given—about Lat.
12° 03’ N. Long. 96° 19’ E. and as she had the wind North or Nor-
therly at noon, she was moreover now to the Westward of the centre
* Or it may be that it was only just forming, and interrupted on one side by the
neighbouring land? ‘The log extract sent me is not very clearly detailed,
¢ This is deduced from her Latitude and Longitude at Noon, and her ‘‘ keeping
away (which I take to have been about NNE.) 32 miles,’’ before she hove to,
376 Twelfth Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. [No. 161.
of this new vortex, which seems I think to be evidently one thrown
off from the great one, of which the centre as we have placed it for this
day was now at ninety miles to the SW. of the Fattel Hair, and we
cannot be very far wrong in her position or in zfs place also. If she had
had any part of the great storm, she must have hada steady gale from
the S. Hastward.
This is an instance then of a smaller and less intense vortex follow-
ing, or being thrown off from, a large one, and it was certainly much
smaller, for we find that with the wind North at Noon on the 10th,
the Fattel Hatr had it ata little past midnight at SW. or it had veer-
ed 12 points in, say, 13 hours, and was then moderating. I have
thus marked it as a small circle, only to shew its independence of the
main storm. I need not add that it had no connection with the
_ Royal Sovereign's storms.
We have no farther data for tracing this storm within the Islands,
and we have now to consider if 2¢ could have been the storm which
dismasted the Petite Nancy.
I think decidedly not. We see that, presuming that it was travel-
ling on from the 10th, and not breaking up of itself there, it must,
to have reached the Petite Nancy, on the 11th first, have run faster
than the Fattel Hair, which it did, since it left her with the winds
from SW. at midnight 10th-11th, to SSE. at noon of the 11th, and
then have overtaken the Dido again with another storm, from NE. or
NW. striking her with its Western quadrants. The Dido had her second
storm only on the 15th from the SE. and SW. so that she was skirting
the Eastern edge of a storm already to the Westward of her. All
this makes it probable that the Petite Nancy’s storm was rather,
if not a separate storm also, the Briton and Runnymede’s, which
must have been wpon;the Great Andaman, on the 12th, and pro-
bably between that day, and the l4th, forced its way over the
mountain chains of that island, and travelled up or re-formed itself
in the Bay.* The winds which the Petite Nancy had on the 12th
when she was at 90 miles only from the body of the Great An-
daman, and but a little to the Northward of the wrecked ships, were
* For an example of a storm forcing its way over high land and re-forming again,
see Journal, Vol, XII, Eighth Memoir.
1845. ] Twelfth Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 377
from the WSW. to SSW. and fine enough to allow her to carry a top-
mast studding sail at midnight, while, had any effect of the storm been
felt by her at this time, it must have been in Northerly or N. Westerly
winds. On the 13th she had the winds from WSW. to SSW. and
finally at midnight South, with sharp lightning at 9 p.m. and irregu-
Jar sea, with a falling barometer about this time, showing that she was
now just running into the vortex. :
Her hurricane appears to have been of small extent, or to have been
moving rapidly to the WNW. for it lasted with her not more than
from 5 a.m. to about 10 p.m., or 17 hours, during five of which, from
5 to 10 a.m. when she broached to, she was running into, and with it,
and we have no data for tracing it any farther. The circumstance
of its being followed by so many days of dead calm is very remark-
able, and has not hitherto occurred in any of the storms which we have
traced in the Bay of Bengal. We must now go back to the Runny-
mede and Briton to trace from their logs and positions so far as we can
do so the effect of the storm wave.
We find that on the 18th, when the ships, though then in the hur-
ricane, had not been so long enough to make their positions wey uncer-
tain they were at 70 miles distance, and about East and West of each
other. Taking the mean of this to be an average position, and the two
ships as one, since they were both cast on shore at the same place, they
will then be at this time,—noon of the 10th,—in Lat. 11° 4’ N. Long.
95° 38’; and the spot on which they were wrecked bearing from
them about WNW. 150 miles, which represents their drift made good,
from noon of the 10th to about Ih. 30m. a.m: on the 12th, or in 374
hours.
Now Capt. Hall of the Briton estimates his drift at not more than
four miles per hour, and Capt. Doutty of the Runnymede his at three
miles. Their mean drift (as we have taken the mean positions)
would then be 33 miles per hour, which for the 3724 hours gives a
distance of 130 miles, and leaves only 20 miles to be accounted for as
the effect of the storm wave, which is therefore quite trifling.
Its rise on the shore, which must have been immense to throw the
ships so high, has already been noted. It would appear that all ships
when blown over so far as to lay with their lee gunwales in the water
3G
378 Twelfth Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. |.No. 161.
drift much more rapidly to leeward than is supposed, and seamen in
these extreme cases would do well to make large allowances, which
will at least place them on their guard.*
The fact that in so narrow a sea as that between the Andamans and
the Mergui Coast, which is only five degrees, or 300 miles across from
Islands to Islands, a true rotatory storm of such terrific violence and
yet of such small extent may arise, is also new and most instruc-
tive, and it is equally remarkable to find it making about the average
track from ESE. to WNW. and travelling at about the average rate
of the slow classes of our hurricanes in the Bay. Jt would have
been of high interest to have ascertained if the storm was formed in
the China sea, and crossed over the Peninsula, which is here only
sixty miles broad, and so low that there is almost a water communica-
tion,t or if any signs of its formation were noted on shore ; but unfor-
tunately the British territory terminates at the mouth of the Pak-
Chan river, in Lat. 10° 00’ North, and the first European residents on
the coast are to be found only at Mergui, two and a half degrees to the
North of that point.
CONCLUSION.
If we had endeavoured to zmvent the most instructive lesson we
could have devised for shewing the truth and utility of the Law of
Storms, we could scarcely have imagined one better calculated for that
purpose than this. The reader has only first to satisfy himself that
the two storm circles of the 9th and 10th must have been nearly what
they appear in the chart, and then to follow with his eye the tracks of
the Petite Nancy, Runnymede and Briton, noticing what is said at
* As to the average rate of motion and track of the storm, we have its centre well
marked at noon on the 9th, from which to midnight of the 11th-12th are 48 hours, and
the distance from the centre of the 9th to the place of the wrecks, is about 184 miles; or
not quite 4 miles per hour, on a course of, from point to point, N. 729 West. It however
travelled from the 9th to the 10th not more than 60 miles, and thus did not make three
miles per hour on that day.
t It has been roughly surveyed by Capt. Tremenheere, B.E. who found the greatest
elevation to be about 450 feet; Journal Asiatic Society, Vol. XII, p. 520.
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1845. ] Twelfth Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 379
pp. 363 and 364 of their falling Barometers and increasing bad weather,
to be clearly satisfied that this was clearly a case in which the last two
ships in a narrow sea, with a hurricane crossing their track, and in the
face of every indication ran headlong into it; being tempted no doubt
by the fair Westerly and S. Westerly winds, heaving or broaching to
only when they could run no longer. Both commanders, indeed, when I
had, by means of the transparent horn cards in my little publication,
“The Horn Book of Storms,” shewn them upon their own charts that
they did so, fully agreed with me that had they better understood
their position between the 9th and 10th they should not have run on as
they did, but have hove to.
Now when we recollect what the value of the two wrecked ships
with two-thirds of a European regiment on board might have been in
India, had they been totally lost in time of war,—if there is any money
value to be set on human life—it is impossible I think to rate too
highly the lesson it conveys, severe as it must have been to the
sufferers.
And finally when we bear in mind that this same predicament may
yet occur to a whole fleet, either in the East or the West Indies,* or
in any part of the world, and that a defeat from the elements may
be as disastrous as one from the enemy, and by the failure of suc-
cours, involve even farther losses, I shall not I trust be thought over-
earnest when I urge again on every man the intense importance of this
science to Englishmen, above all other nations of the globe; and this
storm is also in another light an undoubted proof of it ; occurring as
it has done in a sea where such hurricanes were before unknown !
* It did occur in the West Indies to the fleet under Admiral Rowley, and to that
under the Spanish Admiral, Solano, in 1788. See Col. Reid’s Work, 2nd Edition.
Sanne ee
380
Some account of the Hill Tribes in the interior of the District of
Chittagong, in a letter to the Secretary of the Asiatic Society. By
the Rev. M. BarBe, Missionary.
My pear Sir,—During my late trip to Chittagong I took advan-
tage of the favourable state of the weather to visit the Hill tribes of that
district, as a few months before I was amongst the Kookies I visited
in my last trip the Bunzoo tribe. Having in my account of the Koo-
kies described the banks of Chittagong river, I will not repeat here
what has been mentioned before. I stopped one night at Rangunia,
which is about 25 miles from Chittagong; and when there, I engag-
ed the services of my old guide: this man had been of great use to me
when I visited the Kookies. Having spent part of his life amongst
the hill tribes, he is well acquainted with their habits ; and I think that
a person who is not a Government officer accompanied by him, might
go with security to any of their villages. This Burman is a sportsman
by profession, and consequently he can give correct information res-
pecting the different species of animals which are found on those hills ;
but the characteristic custom of his nation being not to contradict
persons whom they consider superior to them, when any question is
put, the answer is not to be anticipated, because in every circumstance
he will approve of it; so the only way to get the truth is to Jet him
answer by himself, deducting of course something on account of exag-
gerations to which they are very much inclined. On the evening of
my departure from Rangunia, I reached the east part of Sitacra hill,
which is at two tides from Chittagong, and slept in a small village
situated on the top of a hill, elevated from three to four hundred feet
above the level of the river. The house in which I took up my abode
belonged to an Arracanese who, having spent some years at Rangoon,
spoke Burmese passably. The entrance to the house, which was ele-
vated nine feet from the ground, was a spacious uncovered verandah ; the
building had several rooms: the hill being very steep on one side, the
house was raised about fifteen feet on that side, and supported only by
bamboos of small size. The old man received me with great kindness.
He had with him eight children, one only being married. He said he was
very anxious to see all his boys established; but as it was the cus-
tom to expend about 100 rupees for a bride, his means did not allow
1845. | Hill Tribes in the Chittagong District. 381
him to marry them. Seeing the respect paid to the venerable old
man and to his consort, reminded me of the life of the patriarchs.
On the morning we had a storm and heavy rain till 8 o’clock, so I
could not begin the ascent of Sitacra hill before 10 o'clock ; at that
time the thermometer was 82°. Ascending the hill I was scorched
by the rays of the sun, but the effect of the elevation was marked on
the temperature ; when I reached the top of the hill it was past 11
o'clock, I had the pleasure to enjoy a refreshing breeze ; and at 12
o’clock, the thermometer was only 78°. Sitacra is one of the highest
hills of the chain, which extends from the east to the north-east ; its ele-
vation is from twelve to fifteen hundred feet above the level of the
river, and it affords the most magnificent sight I have ever witnessed.
The view was extensive and charming—the sea to the S.W.; to the
W., Chittagong and Sitacoond ; to the N. W. the Ranee house, situated
in a vast plain covered with water ; Chittagong river flowing in serpen-
tine lines, and to the E. and N. E. a succession of peaks more or less
elevated, clothed with vegetation, and appearing to draw closer to-
gether as they disappeared. The horizon was an immense circle;
and although the scenery was diversified, a single place could not
be seen stripped of vegetation ; the most elevated spots were covered
with shrubs, the hills have been crowned with Jarool and Toon trees, but
they have been cut down by the different tribes, when they have
cleared the ground ; all those places have been cultivated, with the ex-
ception of the narrow valleys which lie between the ridges of the hills.
The humidity occasioned by five or six months of rain produces a ve-
getation full of vigour; from the edge of the water to the top of the -
highest hill, the flourishing aspect of nature is a proof of the fertility
of the land. Few of those hills are without springs. The air appears
to be very good. |
People living on those hills appear to be healthy and strong.
I saw some persons above 70 years old; and I was told that there
was a woman whose age was 100 years. Last year many persons
died of cholera. This disease was unknown to them fifteen years ago.
Fever is the general complaint. I admired the idea of the Kookies,
who believe that the greatest happiness of man after his death,
consists in being placed on the summit of the highest hill to enjoy
the pleasure of seeing the beauties of nature. The existence of a
382 Mill Tribes in the Chittagong District. [No. 161.
Supreme Being who is to give a spiritual reward being above their
conception, how can they imagine a greater happiness than the view
of the most beautiful scenery ?
Following the edge of the hill to the S. E., I passed through a
village situated on the top of another hill, about 200 feet lower than
Sitacra, whose inhabitants were Arracanese. I saw some Oolock and
other monkeys on a high jungly jack tree, whose fruits are smaller
than the common jack ; they are good to eat, but have an acid taste :
this tree grows very large; the wood is of a beautiful yellow color ; the
Burmese use it in building their boats.
When I reached the banks of the river it was four o’clock, the
thermometer being at that time 88°; there I met several persons, who
were waiting for me to get medicine: they begged of me to go to their
village; but as it was too much out of my way, I declined their invi-
tation. Some of them wished to accompany me; but as I knew that
they were busy in sowing their crops, I would not accept their offer.
These Arracanese are very hospitable, kind, and disinterested ; I have
been several times in their villages. They have accompanied me
in my excursions, and I could never prevail on them to accept any re-
ward for their trouble, nor for the different articles furnished during
my stay amongst them. On the following morning I started from my
boat, and crossed a plain for one hour in a southerly direction following
a small path, and crossing several times a small stream and then as-
cended a hill elevated from three to four hundred feet above the level
of the river, following the edge of that hill in an easterly direction. I
saw at the distance of three or four miles the Bunzoo houses, situated
on top of another hill called the Diamond mine; on another hill thirty
or forty persons were busy in sowing paddy and cotton. It is the
custom that all the people of the same village join in assisting one
another for that purpose. When I reached the village it was past
10 o’clock, and the sun at that time began to be very powerful; the
houses nearest to the creek were inhabited by Arracanese. The Bun-
zoo dwellings were on the summit of the hill ; and hearing that no Bun-
zoo was at home, I went to the house of an Arracanese whose wife was
from Tippera ; she dressed like the Burmese women do, spoke a little
of that language, and her features so much resembled those of the Bur-
mese, that I took her for one of that nation. She offered me some
1845. } Hill Tribes in the Chittagong District. 383
fruit, and a bottle of liquor distilled from rice ; some time after, the
house was filled with women and children: being the first Ku-
ropean they had ever seen, their curiosity did not surprise me. In
the evening the men came from their work, and the most respectable
Bunzoo of the village asked me to take up my abode in his house.
His dwelling being in a higher situation, I accepted with pleasure his
offer ; the house was elevated three or four feet from the ground, being
twenty feet broad and eighty or ninety feet long, without any partition ;
to one side was a small room which he offered me. At the entrance of
the house the heads of hogs, deer, and other animals killed in his hunt-
ing excursions were kept; a large fire-place was in the centre of the
dwelling. Conical baskets, earthenware, and mats were all the furniture.
The principal post of the house is considered by them sacred, and the
head of the family is the only person who can touch it ; should any other
person do the same he becomes the slave of the master of the house.
This Bunzoo was fifty-six years old, he stood five feet ten inches, and
was well built; his hair was long, and tied after the fashion of the Bur-
mese ; he had projecting cheek bones, flat visage, scanty beard, and was
of dark yellow complexion; his dress was a piece of cloth, one foot
broad, round his loins. His wife and daughters were of middle size, but
very stout; they had the Burmese dress, but the cloth was red and
black; their breast was covered with another piece of cloth of the
same color, one cubit broad and four feet long. His family consisted of
four boys and three girls; he had two children from eight to ten years
old, with black eyes, small lips, and displaying great intelligence. The
other Bunzoos which I saw were not so tall as the men before men-
tioned, and the average is, I believe, from five feet two inches, to
six inches. The women are, generally speaking, much stouter than
the men. This tribe appeared to be grave and silent; this is remark-
able in children, they shew no petulance, and partake of the character
of their parents ; six or seven of them were with me a part of the even-
ing, and to my great surprise they paid as much attention to the
conversation, as if the subject had been adapted to their intelligence.
I was particularly struck with their civility, no one took a thing offer-
ed to him without previously saluting by joining his hands towards
the person who gave, and the same ceremony was repeated by the do-
nor: men, women, and children do the same; when spirits is offered,
384 Hill Tribes in the Chittagong District. [ No. 161.
the women dip their finger in the liquor, and then salute as before
stated.
The Bunzoo food consists of rice, fruit, roots, vegetables, young leaves
of trees, blochein, (which is prepared by the Mugs of Rangunia of
shrimps salted and pounded,) and deer, hogs, fowls and goats. The
Bunzoos admit the existence of a Supreme Being whom they do not
worship, the reason being that ‘they have never heard about him nor
seen him ;” but it is not the same with the devil, whom they consider as
the cause of all evil,—to him they attribute their diseases, the failure of
their crops, &c., and to gain his favour they offer him pigs, goats,
fowls, &c.; they believe in a place of torment, but what are the
offences that deserve such punishment they don’t know; they think
that the greatest part of the dead come again into the world to
animate other bodies, and persons who have been fortunate enough
to secure the head of many wild animals are entitled to be re-
warded in their future life: this is the reason for which they keep
with the greatest care the heads of animals slain by them. The
Kookies burn the dead, the Bunzoos do not. They hollow a piece
of wood, deposit the dead in it, and bury it in the summit of some
hill, putting in the same grave the heads of animals killed by them,
spears, cloth, and money belonging to the deceased. On the Tenasse-
rim coast the Kareans burn the dead, and keep one of the bones
of the head for one year, and after feasting for some days, they
take it with all the articles belonging to the deceased, on a hill
where all articles are deposited which belonged to persons of the
same caste. The Bunzoos never marry to persons of another tribe,
and a wedding never takes place without spending much money. The
father and mother of the young man apply for the bride, which is
never promised unless she give her consent; should the young man be
without parents the head of the village is to ask the bride’s hand, the
relations of the lady ask then a sum of money, from one hundred to
one hundred and fifty rupees; if the young man has that money he pays
it immediately ; but if he has not, the bride’s relations agree to receive
it by instalments. The day of marriage being fixed, a feast is given to
the relations and friends, and the young woman is taken by them to
the house of the bridegroom, and without any further ceremony, the
maid becomes wife. They have but one wife, and if she leaves her
1845. ] Mill Tribes in the Chittagong District. 385
lord’s house without a just cause, her relations are obliged to give back
the money received, but should the husband send her away he has no
more claim. Should the Bunzoo, in his warlike excursions, capture
any young women he generally sells them, but if he cannot he has
them under his keeping without being considered his wives; their con-
sorts are generally well treated, but they are far from paying them the
same attention as the civilized people do. One of them dsked me in
the most serious manner if it was true, ‘that Europeans worshipped
their wives.” The chain of hills which separates Chittagong and the
Tippera district from the Birman Empire is inhabited by a number of
tribes differing little in appearance, but partly in habits and language;
but the features of those tribes, particularly the flatness of the occipital
bone, resemble the Burmese so much that I am not far from believing
they have a common origin, and if the Bunzoos are-not so strongly built,
and so well made as the Burmese, it might be in consequence of their
mode of living, which, as it has been observed by Cuvier, in few gene-
rations will deteriorate the physical character of the highest races of man-
kind. The Kookies appear to be the most numerous of all tribes; to the
N. E. of Chittagong, not far from Casalon which is a branch of the Chit-
tagong river is one of their kings, who rules over six or seven thousand
houses ; he has on his hill ponies, cows, &e. How far he takes advantage
of his authority, I have not been able to ascertain. The Bunzoo tribe
is chiefly centered towards the S. E.; having no annals of their own it
is impossible to trace their origin, and to warrant an opinion on the
subject, requires more information than 1 could get. According to them,
formerly they were more powerful and numerous than they are now.
The Kookies taking advantage of their number, subjected them to their
yoke. Their language appears very poor, they have no word to express
the days of the week, but borrow them from the Burmese. Their dialect
contains many Kookie and Burmese words. They compute their years
as the Kookies do by the number of their crops. Persons who build theo-
ries on the analogies of language, will find at the end of this letter a
small vocabulary which will assist them. The Bunzoos distil from rice
a fermented liquor, the drinking of which seems to afford them great
luxury. They pour into a cup the spirit; which goes round the com-
pany, every person, not excepting the women and children, taking a
draught, and they never separate till the liquor is finished ; but how far
3H
386 Hill Tribes in the Chittagong District. [No. 161.
drunkenness prevails, or if they are addicted to intoxication, is more
than I can tell. The Arracanese who live on the hills pay from three
to four rupees of land-tax a year, but the Kookies and Bunzoo dre rent-
free ; and should they be compelled to pay, being a wandering tribe free
as birds, they would immediately leave their residence, and retire to
the interior of mountains where no person could molest them. They are
certainly the most independent people that can be seen: a no-made life
is for them the greatest happiness, and, as children of nature, their wants
are few ; and these wants they can supply in any place. They venture on
hunting excursions when their agricultural labors are finished ; spears and
bows are their principal arms, and their dogs are always their faithful
companions. Their exertions and agricultural labors are directed only
to the growth of articles necessary for their subsistence, as paddy, yams,
plantains, melons, tobacco, cotton, &c. They manufacture their own
cloth, and exchange the cotton they do not require for salt, earthenware,
&c. They plant a species of indigo growing about two feet high, the
leaves which are large are employed to dye their clothes, which is done
in the following way :— Taking a certain quantity of leaves, they put them
in an earthenware vessel; when the water boils they dip in it the thread,
mixing with it an extract of an astringent bark; they dry then the
thread, and they repeat twice again the same process. The jungle
affords them roots of trees or shrubs to dye green, yellow, &c.: salt is
the only thing which they procure with some difficulty, but the hills
contain several springs of salt water ; two of those are found at Sitacoond,
and there is another one in a creek on the opposite side of Sitacra.
The greatest part of salt used by people living on the banks of the river
was manufactured formerly there, and the spring is so impregnated with
salt that it gives in weight half the quantity of the salted water; some
of the tribes by burning trees procure an alkali, which supplies the use
of salt.
The Guayal, Bos frontalis, is found amongst the hills, particularly to
the south of Sitacra: there are two species, differing in size and little in
color; the large one is of dark brown, and the male is nearly as high as
a female elephant; the small one is of a reddish brown, it is the Tenas-
serim Bison, and the Arracanese call them by the same name as the
Burmese do. Those Guayals are perfectly distinct from the Shio of the
Kookies, which are smaller, have a projecting skin to their neck, and
4
1845. ] Hill Tribes in the Chittagong District. 387
differ also by the form and direction of the horns. Three species of
wild dogs are found on those hills: the first species is known by the
Burmese by the name Oobe-looe, and by the Bunzoos Lzenia; this dog
has pendant ears, from five or six inches long, muzzle from eight to
ten inches, straight bushy tail fifteen inches long, length of the body
three feet six inches, height from the ground two feet six inches; they
are seen going alone or in pairs, and they never feed on animals killed the
day before. The second species is called Mungui; they have the ears
semi-pendant, going in packs from four to five ; their color is white bay
or spotted. The third species is Zokoot, they are small with straight
ears, and go in packs from fifteen to twenty. The description of these
dogs was given to me by my guide, and it was confirmed by the
Bunzoos; I have no doubt of its being correct.
Returning from the Bunzoo villages, instead of following the same
road by which I went there, I followed the course of a small stream
protected from the rays of the sun by bamboos and other trees; another
reason which made me choose this way was, that I had been informed
that limestone was found in that creek; till now rocks of that nature
are unknown at Chittagong, lime used in the district is carried from
Sylhet, and purchased at the rate of thirty-five to forty rupees the hun-
dred maunds.
It took me about three hours to get to Chittagong river; both banks
of the creek were bordered either by rocks or by hills of various heights,
presenting steep sides covered in some places with shrubs, the spring
was not considerable, the water was fresh and clear as crystal; in some
places the stream rolled gently down, and in others the water
descended with impetuosity, forming basins of different dimensions
according to the size of the defile: the place where the rock was men-
tioned is about a mile from the large river, it is from thirty to twenty-
five feet high, and in a large cavity is deposited stalagmite, so I have
very little doubt that the rock is a limestone; but as I expect a
specimen of it, all doubts will be removed on the subject. At some
distance from that rock was a bank of black clay, which the Burmese
doctor recommends as a medicine to women who are in the family-way
to strengthen them. I took some with me, the clay was then very soft,
but the next day it was as hard as a brick.
388
Hill Tribes in the Chittagong District.
’
[No. 161.
This is, my dear Sir, all the information I could get about the Bunzoo
tribe; had I remained longer amongst them, as I intended to do, this
people would have given me other details which are desideratum in
this imperfect sketch of their manners and customs, but my guide hav-
ing taken ill with fever, I thought it was useless to prolong my stay
amongst them, being imperfectly acquainted with the corrupted Bur-
mese language spoken in the district.
Calcutta, \5th July, 1845.
English.
God,
Devil,
Worship,
Person,
Man,
Woman,
Children,
Son,
Daughter,
Maiden,
Husband,
Wife,
Head,
Forehead,
Hair,
Eyes,
Nose,
Ear,
Lips,
Teeth,
Beard,
Neck,
Bunzoo.
Lookar,
Kree,
Mai-moo-roon,
Mreiur,
Mepa,
Loo-now,
Now-pow,
Mepanow,
Kemenow,
Loogua,
Noo-pa,
Kamadoon,
Loo,
Mare,
Ssom,
Mhe,
Nhar,
Na,
Mekka,
Ab,
Mekkamoor,
Rhin,
Kookies.
V. BarBE.
Ngion mse.
Khasin.
Maimeck.
Meiaur.
Mepa.
Noonoo.
Ar.
as Se a
1845.]
English.
Breast,
Arm,
Hand,
Finger,
Nail,
Belly,
Thigh,
Leg,
Foot,
European,
Bunzoo,
Khookies,
Shiamdu,
Burman,
Arracanese,
House,
Roof,
Thatch with grass,
Bamboo,
Ratan,
Posts,
Door,
Window,
Dog,
Cow,
Buffalo,
Guyal,
Ditto Kooku,
Pig,
Bird,
Peacock,
Snake,
Hill,
Tree,
Ditto leaves,
Flower,
Bunzoo.
Atak,
Keeb-an,
Coot,
Cootmatsar,
Cootmetee,
Madeer,
Racoot,
Pai-ma-rai.
Pai,
Lhen,
Bom.
Panguai,
Koosak,
Ouksah,
Mareim.
Cur,
Curchun,
Phar,
Rhooar,
Kotoi,
Jurtoom,
Ma kott,
Wham kott,
Woee,
Fswepai,
Fseloi,
Tsar,
Huesha,
Wai,
Wha,
Oohdong,
Marooi,
Kamoor,
Teiu,
Teiuna,
Par,
Hill Tribes in the Chittagong District.
Kookies.
Fsan.
Coot.
Maadil.
Ell.
Phai.
Mengeaco,
Langet.
Teug.
Kooe.
Hooee.
Toung.
Thinn,
Paar.
389
090
English.
Grass,
Good,
Bad,
Heaven,
Hell,
Black,
White,
Red,
Green,
Yellow,
Water,
Paddy,
Rice,
Ditto boiled,
Oil,
Brandy,
Sick,
Fever,
Vomit,
Evacuate,
Fool,
Cool,
Knife (table, )
Fire,
Silver,
Gold,
Copper,
Necklace,
Bracelet,
Ilandkerchief,
Governor,
Bengalee,
Death,
River,
Tirelock,
Powder,
Hill Tribes in the Chittagong District.
Bunzoo-
Bair,
Hatsar,
Hats-aloo,
Van,
Hatsoopatee,
Neekna,
Pooahklan,
Pooahtsin,
Pooahrin,
Pooahapaal,
Tooe,
Ts-am,
Tsaksai,
Boo,
Kersee,
Arahoni,
Hatchong,
Damloo,
Mailoo,
Sun-yute,
Maremkloh,
Atakdye,
Tsenzoon,
_ Men,
Tongkha,
Guoon,
Dhar,
Maisee,
Arkhoil,
Beaar,
Kophoo,
Koar,
Meetec,
Whaa,
Tselei,
Tseleitsec,
Kookies.
Tooe.
Tsan.
Thathin.
Boo.
Tsur.
Gnoon.
Shal.
Lowoon.
Boo.
Thali.
Talaitse.
[No. 161.
1845.]
English.
Shot,
Bottle,
Year,
Month,
Day,
Night,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight,
Nine,
Ten,
Eleven,
Twelve,
Twenty,
One hundred,
One thousand,
Man’s dress,
Woman’s dress,
Kyer,
Mill Tribes in the Chittagong District. 391
Bunzoo. Kookies.
Tseleimoo,
Pelan,
Koomnee,
Tsakkar,
Neekar,
Zytye,
Kakar, Keaka.
Penakar, Panika.
Toomkar, Toomka.
Leckar, Ta.
Raignakar, Nga
Rhookar, Koo.
Sreckar, Sree.
Raikar, Rae
Khooakar, Ko.
Tswurkar, Sunka.
Tswinlakakar,
Tswinlanekar,
Roobookar,
Raizaaker, Rasa.
Tsankar, Sunka.
Ram,
JOURNAL
OF THE
ASIATIC SOCIETY.
Notes on the Religion of the Sikhs, being a Notice of their Prayers,
Holidays, and Shrines. By Major R. Lexcu, C.B., Political Agent,
N. W. F. From the Political Secretariat of the Government of India.
The works of ‘‘ Guroo Sobha’” and ‘‘ Bichitar Natak” have been con-
sulted, and extracts made.
It will appear extraordinary that the Sikhs, who are forbid to worship
at a Hindoo Mandar, should frequent Hindoo places of pilgrimage; but
such is the case. Sikh pilgrims to the Ganges at Hurdwar have for
many years past been increasing, and nothing is more probable than the
Sikhs gradually re-adopting many more Hindoo observances.
Govind Singh prophesied that the Sikh’s Derahs, or Shrines, would
amount to 56,00,00,000.
Prayers.
The Sikh Japjee, composed by Guroo Nanak, answers to the Hindoo
Gaitree repeated in the morning.
The Sikh Japjee, composed by Guroo Govind Singh, answers to the
Hindoo Bisan Sahansar, (a morning prayer).
The Sikh Sukhmanee, composed by Guroo Nanak, answers to the
Hindoo Geeta, (a morning prayer after ablution).
The Sikh Rouras, composed by Guroos Nanak and Govind, answers
to the Hindoo Sandhija Tarpan, (a sunset prayer).
No. 162. No. 78, New Serikxs. 31
394 Notes on the Religion of the Sikhs. [ No. 162.
The sixteen Arthees, composed by Guroo Nanak, are repeated the
last thing before going to sleep, and it is the lock on the tongue; the ~
key being next morning’s Japjee.
The Sikh women repeat “ Asa kee war,” (composed by Guroo Na-
nak,) by which they are absolved from again being born in the likeness
of woman.
Holidays.
The Daserah, the Suddee, 10th of the month Asoo, the commencement
of the Hindoo military year, the opening of the season for the military
operations.
Basakee, the spring festival on the 1st of Besak.
The anniversary of Guroo Nanak’s death on the Wuddee, 5th of Asoo,
(called Gur-parb).
The anniversary of Guroo Govind Singh’s departure on the Buddee,
5th of Besak.
The Dewalee ; a feast of lamps, the last day of the Buddee, half of the
month Katick.
Maghee ; the last day of the Buddee, half of the month Magh,
Basant Paunchmee; the Buddee, 5th of the month Magh.
The Hola, (Holee) ; the last day of Phagan.
Shrines—Of the 1st Guroo, (Nanak.)
1. Nankane-a-Derah, the village of his maternal grandfather, where
he played as a child, 30 kos from Lahore.
2. Derah (par excellence,) on the river Ravee, his birth-place. (He is
said to have been born ready dressed in green.)
3. Sultanpoor, where he kept a shop for his brother-in-law. The
weights used by him are worshipped.
4, Nanak Malak, an impression of his hand on the leaves of a Pee-
pul tree ; the leaves are brought away as relics, and the tree is worship-
ped. There is now a flourishing village.
5. Panjah Sahah; the impression of his hand on a rock that he pre-
vented falling on him at Hasan Abdal.
Of the 2nd Padshah, (King) Angad.
1, Khadoor Derah; the place of his death, near Taran Taran.
1845. ]} Notes on the Religion of the Sikhs. 395
Of the 38rd Guroo, (Amardas.)
Gondwal Derah ; a well of 101 steps to descend, on each of which the
Japjee is repeated. He also died at this town. There are two Grunths
at the spot whence he departed.
Of the 4th Guroo, (Ramdas.)
Sree Amritsar, (the Nectar tank) ; was brought into notice by him,
though the Sikhs deny that it is modern. It was first called by him
** Ramdas dee puree.”’ ‘There are five Teeruths.
1. Amratsarjee ; in the centre of which is the Darbar Sahab’s building,
containing the Grunth in Guroo Nanak’s own hand-writing. It was
built by Runjeet Singh, or rather superbly repaired. The steps of
this building are looked upon as the Hurdwar ones. The rank Sikhs
of the present day therefore do not go to the Ganges Hurdwar, and
even speak lightly of that sacred stream as the ‘‘ bone-devouring.”
2. Koulsar, (the Lotus tank) ; people wash their feet here before pre-
suming to bathe in the holy of holies.
3. Babegsar; round which the Nahangs reside, and bathe in it before
going to the Amratsar.
4, Mukatsar; from bathing constantly in faith, in which exemption
from further birth in the flesh is obtained.
5. Ramsar; the tank in which Hindoos and others, not Sikhs, bathe
before going into the water of Amratsar.
On the brink of the tank opposite Darbar Sahab’s Darsanee entrance
is the Akal Bangah, and two jhandahs or standards, (rather giant spears
covered with gold, and having a khinkab cover.)
The golak (collections 14 rupee from each convert,) of Guroo Govind
Singh, is deposited in the Akal Bangah. Chiefs sometimes pay 14 hun-
dred rupees on the Pahul being administered there to a child.
The Deewalee festival is the season for performing pilgrimage to
Amratsar. Pilgrims also assemble in Basakee, Dassera, Horee and
Niaghee. These five festivals are called the five Dhams or Tihars,
Of the 5th Guroo, (Arjan.)
1. Lahore; his residence for many years.
2. Derah-Kartarpoor.
3. Taran and Taran; two shrines, five or six kos apart; the latter
being the place of his death.
396 Notes on the Religion of the Sikhs. [No. 162.
Lepers are cured by bathing in faith in the tank. A great number
of lepers reside round the tank, and two or three are cured every year.
If any one on going there fears to approach or touch these lepers, he
becomes himself a leper. Many of them are rich, and trade; no cus-
toms or duties are levied on their goods.
Of the 6th Guroo, (Har Govind.)
Sree Govindpura; his Derah, the place of his death.
Of the 7th Guroo, (Har Rae.)
1. Keertpur ; his Derah, the place of his death, and also of his Mahal
(wife). The tank in which he washed his feet is called, by the Sikhs,
Charan Koulsar.
2. Bangah, in the Singpooria state; at Keertpur is the Derah of Baba
Gurditta.
Of the 8th Guroo, (Har Krisen.)
1, Delhi; the place of his death, (by small-pox.)
Of the 9th Guroo, (Tegh Bahadur.)
1. Dehra, at Anandpoor ; where his head was burnt on being brought
by his Rangretas from Delhi.
2. Saifabad, in the Pateala territory ; where the Raja has lately built a
fort.
3. At Delhi, called Bangala; where he was killed.
4, Ditto; where his body was burnt. There is also at Delhi a shrine
of Mata Sundaree, and another called Rakabganj.
5. At Benares.
Of the 10th Guroo, (Govind.)
1. Anandpoor ; where there are seven Jhandas and Dehras.
1. Guroo Tegh Bahadur.
2. Kesgurh; where he converted five Sikhs, or rather initiated them
and made them initiate him, and let their hair (kes) grow.
3. Mata Jeeto; the wife (Mahal) of Guroo Govind : she died here.
4, Damdama ; the breathing-place, where he took breath and turned
on his Musalman pursuers.
5. Holgurh ; where he played the Holee.
1845. ] Notes on the Religion of the Sikhs. 397
6. Agampura ; from a vision revelation to Mata Jeeto there.
7. Manjee Sahat; the cot on which she sat to receive saluta-
tions.
There is a melah or collection of pilgrims in the Holee.
2. Dehra of Guroo Govind at Bangah.
3. Jandpoor ; where he halted in his flight from Anandpoor.
4. Macheewara; where his Musalman friends, Nubee -and Ghunee
Khans, saved his life, by disguising him.
5. Naknour; five kos from Ambalah, where he fled from Macheewara.
6. Muktsar, in Malwah; where he bathed and promised exemption
from transmigration to all his followers who did the like in faith.
7. Damdama; where he again took breath, and blest the place as
learning-inspiring, calling it his Benares, where the greatest dunces
should become scholars.
At the present day the best writers of the Gurmukhee character are
at Damdama, which belongs to the Shaheed family.
8. Kapal Mochan, near Belaspoor. This is a great place of Hindoo
pilgrimage.
9. Nanheree, near Ambalah.
10. Pa’unte Sahat, across the Ganges.
11, Patna; where he was born.
12. Abjal Nagar; where he died, (in the Deccan). There is a melah
on the Buddee, 5th of Besak.
There is a Derah of Jeet Sing and Jazar Singh at Chamkour, where
these sons of Guroo Govind were killed by the Musalmans.
The Derah of his two other sons, Fatteh Singh and Zorawar, is at
Sarhind, where they were built alive into a wall by the Musalmans.
Sarhind is called by the Sikhs, Fattehgurh ; from Fatteh Singh being
killed there. ‘They also call it Phit moonhe (spit in the face,) and some-
times Ujar shahr, ‘the desolate city.”
The Derah of Mata Guzaree is near that of her Shahzada, grandsons ;
she fell down dead at the sight of the living wall. There is a melah
during the Holee.
There is a shrine or Derah of Baba Sahat Singh, at Ambalah, who
was a Bedee Sikh; who is called by some the 11th Guroo, and is said
to have caused the elevation of Ranjeet Singh by his blessing, and by
giving him his sword: he died eleven or twelve years ago, from grief at
398 Notes on the Religion of the Sikhs. [No. 162.
the death of his son, Baba Tegh Singh, which took place at his resi-
dence at Unnah.
At Daoon, there is the shrine of Baba Jwahar Singh Sodee.
At Gadgunga, there is the shrine of Uhadah Singh Sodee.
At Gadwal is the shrine of Guroo Ram Raee, where he died.
The offerings of these shrines are taken by the people who read the
Grunth there, and offer prayers for the donors.
Notes, principally Geological, across the Peninsula of Southern In-
dia from Kistapatam, Lat. 14° 17' at the Embouchure of the
Coileyroo River, on the Eastern Coast, to Honawer, Lat. 14° 16'
on the Western Coast, comprising a visit to the Falls of Gairsuppa.
By Caprain NEwBoLp, F.R.S., M.N.I. Assistant Commissioner
Kurnool, Madras Territory.
Kistapatam. Kistapatam is the port of Nellore, from which it lies
about 15 miles S. E. It is situated on the Coromandel Coast a short
distance from the sea, and at little more than two miles North of the
mouth of the Coileyroo or Condaleyroo river, in about Lat. 14° 17’. N.
It stands at the edge of a low sandy flat which, though now dry and
exposed, appears during the monsoon to be overflowed by the river
freshes, and probably once formed a back-water or lagoon com-
municating with the sea to the N. near Toolypaliam, and with the em-
bouchure of the river near another Toolypaliam to the South. Sea salt
is here manufactured. The physical aspect of the adjacent country is
that of a flat, sandy, maritime plain, broken near the sea by an irregu-
lar line, following the indentations of the Coast, of low dunes of fine
sand, by which the travellers’ bungalow on the S. bank of the river
is surrounded. The sand a little N. of this abounds in granules of
magnetic iron, some of which appear to be titaniferous. The under-
stratum of the sand observed here, and in some wells a few miles to
the South of the river proved to be greenish or bluish black clay, or
tertiary clay of Coromandel, with pelagic shells similar to that under-
lying Madras, Pondicherry, and the alluvial plain of Masulipatam.
Marine Sand Dunes. The sand dunes near the river had a S. W.
direction, and rose about 50 feet above its bed. The ripple marks
1845. | Geological Notes of Southern India. 399
caused by the currents of air on their surface resemble those caused
by currents of water, and the N. and S. direction of their major
axis shows the Easterly and Westerly course of the late or existing
prevalent winds. ‘Their Eastern sides have a sloping direction ; fall-
ing off rather abruptly to the West at about an angle of 45°, indica-
ting that the wind which raised them blew from the E. On the surface
were scattered here and there shells and fragments of.shells blown
up from the beach. The footsteps of waders, and other aquatic birds
could be occasionally tracked where the wind had not again covered
them up with loose sand.
These, together with the ripple marks, marine shells, and the
elevation of these moving sands, form an interesting example of the
manner in which strata of aqueous sub-marine origin may be imitat-
ed by the simple action of the wind on loose sand. Consolidation,
and a more distinct stratification alone are wanting to convert these
heaps into a fossiliferous ridge. ‘The sand is often bound together by
the long interlaced roots of grasses, &c.
Calorific action of sun’s rays on surface of Sand Dunes. At 5
p.m. sky clear, slight breeze just perceptible; the thermometer placed
on the sand and freely exposed to the sun’s rays indicated a heat of
100° 3’. Simply suspended in the air, about 12 feet above the surface
of the sand, equally exposed to the sun’s rays, it stood at 78° 5’.
Nocturnal Radiation from surface of Sand Dunes. The radiating
powers of the sand dunes are considerable. At 3a. mM., night nearly
calm, sky clear, the thermemeter shaded from radiation, and placed
on a table about four feet from the ground, stood at 67°. Placed on the
grass and freely exposed bulb thinly covered with a little white wool,
it fell to 65.5°. But on the surface of the sand dunes it fell to 62°.
The sand is fine and quartzy.
As erial stillness is one of the conditions necessary to the full re-
frigerating effects of radiation, it is likely that on the coast, which is
hardly ever free from currents, however slight, resulting from the
regular alternations of the Jand and sea breezes, the differences of
temperature obtained by radiation will hardly ever be so great as the
table-lands of India. The lulls between the land and sea_ breezes
perhaps present the most eligible times for such experiments.
The temperature of the water of the wells is not far from what may
be the mean average temperature of the place, viz., from 80° 2' to 81°.
400 Notes, principally Geological, (No. 162.
The bed of the river near Kistapatam is apparently about 500 yards
broad, and sandy. A bar of sand obstructs the mouth, against which
the surf beats in white breakers. The Collector's bungalow stands on
the N. bank of the river.
Nellore. Circumstances prevented my examining the tract between
the sea at Kistapatam and Nellore; but as far as could be judged from
rapidly passing over it, it resembles in flatness (sloping gently sea-
wards) the rest of the maritime plains of the Coromandel Coast, and
abounds with small tanks. At Nellore the usual granitic and hypo-
gene rocks of this coast are covered by beds of laterite, which are seen
in cliffs about 16 feet high fringing the Pennaur river. About three or
four miles from Nellore, on the Northern bank of the river, quarries of
the laterite occur at the village of Kohor, in a deposit of this rock about
20 feet thick near the tank. Both at Nellore and the surrounding
villages, it is extensively employed as a building stone, and in other
repairs of the roads. Blocks, about one foot thick and two long, are sold
at the rate of 12 for the rupee. Small springs are seen oozing out at
the bases of the laterite cliffs on the S. bank of the river at Nellore.
These cliffs are divided by perpendicular and horizontal seams; the
rock composing them is less quartzy than the Kohor laterite. In the
vertical fissures I observed fragments of earthenware broken by the
natives in coming for water. These bits of pottery often become
impacted in a lateritic alluvial cement, which must not be mistaken,
as has been the case, for the true laterite, and hence its origin
ascribed to the recent or historic period. Some of the oldest pagodas
and structures in South India are built on this rock. Both the
laterites of Nellore and Kohor consist of a rock resembling the
Malabar laterite, but containing more angular fragments of quartz.
The surface of the laterite is often covered by a modern lIateritic
debris, more or less consolidated, which must not, as said before, be
confounded with the true laterite.
As in the Beder laterite the water often passes from the surface of
these cliffs by the tubular cavities in its structure which are enlarged,
emptied of their clay and lithomarge, and modified by its passage
downwards, until stopped in part by the clayey barrier it has assisted
to accumulate. The water here forms reservoirs, and in overflowing
finds its way out by fissures in springs. The bed of the Pennaur near
Nellore is sandy. and apparently about 800 yards broad.
1845. ] across the Peninsula of Southern India., 401
From Nellore by the North bank of the Pennaur to the base of the
Eastern Ghauts.
Sungum. From Nellore by Kohor the laterite may be traced
westerly to the vicinity of Dovoor, resting on the granitic and
hypogene rocks about nineteen miles W.N.W. from Nellore. At the
Sungum, or confluence of the Pennaur with the two small streams of
_ the Bogheyroo and Berapeyroo, the first rocky elevation is seen since
quitting the coast about twenty-nine miles distant, and nearly mid-
way between the sea and the Eastern Ghauts. It appears as a short
range abutting on the Pennaur river, and running N. by E. to about
the distance of two miles. It is composed, at the village of the Sun-
gum, of a massive quartz rock in indistinct stratification, cleft occasion-
ally, like the laterite, by intersecting partings and vertical fissures
which divide the rock into parallelograms. The planes of the former
have a dip of about 5° towards the East: the vertical fissures run
irregularly, but the greater part have a direction of N. by W. This
quartzy rock passes from opaque and granular, to compact, translucent
chert, of various shades of red, brown, green, and white. It contains
disseminated scales of mica of a golden colour, which glitter like
those in avanturine, and nests of brown iron ore.
If the marly horizontal partings are really the planes of stratifi-
cation, it may be inferred from its conformability that this quartz
rock does not belong to the hypogene series which is seen in highly
inclined beds near its base, penetrated by veins of granite (as seen at
Pollium, a village between Dovoor and Sungum,) but that it is an
altered outlier of the sandstone mural crests which are seen from this
on the Western horizon capping the granite and hypogene schists of
the Eastern Ghauts.
A glimmering hornblende schist, and gneiss veined with granite,
with a white mica replaced here and there by schorl, are found at the
bases of the quartz hills of Sungum.
A cluster of Hindu temples, the principal of which is dedicated to
Iswara, as at the holy Sungums (or confluences) of the Kistnah, Bhima,
&c., surrounded by a lofty wall, crowns a rugged mass of this rock
that projects from the main ridge into the sandy bed of the river,
which at this season of the year presents a dreary waste of sand,
3K
ik i Oy,
a
402 Notes, principally Geological, [No. 162.
apparently marly, a mile in width, through which a slender crys-
tal stream of water threads its way towards the sea. In front
of the temple gates stands a granite slab, bearing a Sassanam, or in-
scription, in Nagriand Telugoo, almost buried in drifted sand. The
emblems of eternity, (or rather durability)—the sun and moon—were
engraven on the corners above the inscription. The priests of the
temple are brahmans of the Smartal sect, whose Suami or bishop is the
powerful Sencra Bharti. The remains of an old aqueduct are seen
at a little distance from the Sungum. The village itself contains
about 400 houses, though it appears formerly to have been a place of
greater wealth: a few cotton cloths are manufactured here. The staple
articles of cultivation are rice, baggi, or juari, and a little indigo.
Temperature of the Pennaur river. The temperature of the water
in the Pennaur was 77.38°; of the springs 78.2° at 4 p.m. Tempera-
ture in open air at the time 82°.
From the Pennaur to Jummaveram and Copper district of Gany-
penta. Leaving the North bank of the Pennaur at Sungum, the road
lay in a N. by W. direction to Jummawdram, or Jummaveram,
distant about ten miles from Sungum. The rocks here are still the
hypogene schists, chiefly garnetiferous hornblende schist, and gneiss,
with large veins of whitish quartz, the fragments of which are scattered
over the uncultivated surface of the plain. The soil is reddish, both
sandy and clayey, and rests either on a substratum of kunker and
detritus of rock, or on the rock itself. Two out of the four wells at
Jummaveram are saline.
The hypogene schists penetrated by trap and granite, extend from
Jummaveram to Ganypenta or Gurumanipenta, a village about
twenty-three miles N. N. W. from Jummaveram, about thirty-three
miles North of the Pennaur about the same distance from the sea, and
about twenty-eight miles from the base of the Eastern Ghauts.
This village is situated in the midst of the copper mining localities
described in a paper published by the Royal Asiatic Society in their
Journal.
From Ganypenta to the E. Ghauts. Proceeding from Gurumani-
penta in aS. W. direction towards the entrance of the Dorenal Pass
over the Eastern Ghauts, the surface of the great plain hitherto travel-
led over becomes more rugged and broken up by rocky elevations,
1845. ] across the Peninsula of Southern India. 403
till at length the base of the Ghauts is reached near Udigherry. The
hypogene schists, penetrated by granite and dykes of basaltic green-
stone and overlaid by patches of kunker, continue up to the base of
the Ghauts. Mica schist is seen at Samulraygudda, about four and a
half miles E. S. E. from the town of Udigherry, and also about seven
miles farther to the S. W. at Timmapolliam with quartz rock. Se-
veral of the hypogene spurs in the plain are capped with, this quartz
rock, which is usually of a light reddish colour passing into greenish
grey, and white cherts. It is evidently altered sandstone. The hy-
pogene schists are in great confusion at the base of the Ghauts, and in
one place I observed the mica schist dipping at an angle of 41° to the
W. 7. e. towards the great line of dislocation. In some places they are
but little inclined ; in some vertical ; while in others they appear to
have been reversed, and folded back upon themselves, the upper parts
of the flexures having disappeared in weathering or by denudation.
Hence they have the appearance of alternating in a reversed order to
that in which they usually occur, viz., the gneiss lowermost in the se-
ries. This occurs in most other hypogene areas of South India, and
care should be taken to ascertain in such disturbed regions the true
order of superposition from the horizontal or less inclined beds in the
neighbouring districts less disturbed, and where there is no likelihood
of inversion or folding back of the strata. These phenomena, though
written in plainly legible characters on the faces of the gigantic es-
carpments of the Alps, must in Southern India generally be patiently
traced out, letter by letter, amid the jungle and debris which usu-
ally obscure their features.
Eastern Ghauis. The Eastern Ghauts, in the vicinity of Udigher-
ry, and the Dorenal Pass, have an altitude, approximatively obtained
by a rough trigonometrical measurement, of about 700 feet from the
maritime plain at their base, which is from 60 to 70 miles broad, its
surface roughened by spurs from the Ghauts, and a few occasional
rocky clusters and detached hills.
The Ghauts here have usually their escarpments, or steepest acclivi-
ties facing towards the East. The lower portions of the hills, which
are composed of mica slate or gneiss, have usually a much less abrupt
and steep descent than the sandstone, which often caps them in mural
cliffs and hog-backed ridges. ‘The line of junction of the two rocks
Se ee ee ee
404 Notes, principally Geological, [No. 162.
is thus often plainly visible in mountains many miles distant. The
hypogene schists seldom attain a height of above 400 feet; the higher
portions are sandstone. The sandstone, in the localities where I ex-
amined it on the heights overlooking the Dorenal Pass, had much the
appearance of quartz rock passing into chert or hornstone, of various
light shades of red, brown, green, blue, black and white.
Pass of Dorenal. This break in the Easternmost chain of the
Eastern Ghauts is about four miles in length, general direction W. by
N., and is evidently a transverse valley of fracture, passing nearly at right
angles with the direction of the strata, and with that of the longitudi-
nal vallies. The Northern side is abrupt and craggy, while the ab-
rupt features of the Southern flank are more rounded and softened
down. Its bottom has an irregular surface, occupied by angular rocky
debris, the wreck of strata once continuous, and is now partially co-
vered with both arboreous and shrubby vegetation. The ascent from the
East, partaking of the general character of the Ghaut elevation, is steeper
than the descent to the West; but it is every where passable for loaded
carts, and is one of the best channels of commerce from the maritime
plains of Nellore and Ongole to the more elevated districts of Cud-
dapah, Bellary and Kurnool. The best sort of cart adapted for this’
hill transit is that with the narrow sharp wooden wheels girt with
strong iron fellies, and having axles revolving with the wheel. I
saw about fifty return carts, laden with empty indigo boxes, returning
from the town of Nellore to the indigo factory at Budwail in the
Cuddapah district. Five hundred Lumbari bullocks, laden with salt,
the manufacture of the coast, were jogging merrily on, to the music of
their own bells, with this high-taxed necessary of life, into the interior.
Valley of Budwail. From the Pass of Dorenal the traveller de-
scends by an easy slope into the longitudinal valley of Budwail, which
is crossed in a W.N. W. direction to the Western and principal chain
of the E. Ghauts. This fine valley has an almost S. direction inclin-
ing slightly to the E., and extends from the Kistnah beyond Cumbum
on the N. to Tripety on the S. with some interruption from occasional
cross lines of elevation and fracture, passing a little East of Sidhout to
the cross fracture forming the valley of the Pennaur; whence its
course may be traced southerly by the channels of Cheyeyroo and
Goonjna streams, by Chitwail, Codoor, Baulpilly and Curcumbady.
1845. ] across the Peninsula of Southern India. 405
On the line of the cross valley of the Pennaur near Sidhout a con-
siderable subsidence, or sinking down of the surface, appears to have
taken place ; as near this point we see both the Northern and Southern
lines of drainage of the longitudinal vallies of the E. Ghauts, viz. the
Cheyeyroo, the Toomall and Sagglair, converge and empty themselves
into the Pennaur, easterly through the cross fracture of Sidhout to
the sea. The general breadth of the valley of Budwail North of the
Pennaur, is about eleven miles. From Poormaumla on the N. to the
Pennaur it is sub-divided into two vallies by a central range of hills,
which passes by the town of Budwail; the lowest parts of these
vallies are marked by the S. courses of the Toomall in that to the
East, and by that of Sagglair in the valley to the W.
In the valley of Budwail the Cuddapah limestone with its associ-
ated argillaceous shales of different shades of red, chocolate, white,
yellow and green, are first seen, the latter predominating. The central
range consists chiefly of sandstone based on these shales, which are
often denuded, and appear in the vallies between ridges capped with
insulated massive layers of sandstone and quartz rock several miles
asunder.
Westernmost ridge of the Eastern Ghauts. The Western, or principal
ridge of the E. Ghauts is crossed by the Oothoomnagoo and Jungumraz-
pilly Passes. The latter is perfectly practicable for bandies. Leaving
my baggage to go round by the Pass, I ascended the Ghauts by a sheep
track, to the lead mines of Jungumanipenta, and descended to those
of Buswapoor on the Western flank of the Ghauts. These mines have
been previously described in a paper published by the Royal Asiatic
Society. Suffice it here to observe, that the lower and modern eleva-
tions of the Ghauts are composed of slates and shales associated
with the limestone; the highest ridges and peaks are capped and
crested with sandstone passing into quartz rock. The limestone
abounds with chert and hornstone; its shales are usually reddish,
chocolate, green, white and ochreous, and interstratified with arenace-
ous, ferruginous, and calcareous bands passing into dark quartzose
slates ; petrographically speaking these resemble those of our Devonian
series, but no traces of fossils are observed in any of these rocks.
Nundialempett. This village is situated about one and a quarter koss
Westerly from the lead mines of Baswapur, and stands on the right bank
406 Notes, principally Geological, [No. 162.
of a stream that flows from the neighbouring Ghauts southerly along
their base into the Pennaur, called the Conda Nulla. Onaridge over-
. Jooking the tank stands the trigonometrical survey station of Mookan-
doo. The soil is alluvial and reddish, with calcareous matter inter-
mixed, resting usually on a thick substratum of kunker imbedding
nodular brown iron ore and fragments of the subjacent and adjacent
rocks, viz. slaty argillaceous limestone and sandstone. The cultivation
is solely of that description termed Moongari and garden. The aspect
of the country at this western base of the Ghauts is at first undulating
and picturesque, the undulations merging to the westward in the
great vegur plains of Dhoor and Cuddapah. The clumps and
groves of shady tamarind trees, with which its surface is studded in
the sub-ghaut plains, give it a park-like aspect. The ruins of a small
fort, with the remains of a large cavalier in the centre, stand close to
the village, and are said to have been built by one of the Cuddapah
Nawabs.
Jummulmudgoo. Crossing the great plain of Dhoor, which is based
on the diamond limestone, and divided by the Koond river, which
runs Southerly down its centre to the Pennaur at Camlapoor, the
large village of Jummulmudgoo is reached. It stands on the left
bank of the Pennaur a little to the East of the emergence of this river
from the gorge of the Gundicotta hills, which form the Western lip
to the Pennaur basin, girt in on the South by the Wontimetta and
Poolvaimla ranges, and to the East by the Eastern Ghauts, through
which it escapes to the sea by the transverse break of Sidhout. The
approximate height of this basin above the sea towards its centre, as
indicated by the boiling point, is 800 feet.
The rock in the bed of the Pennaur and on which the village stands,
is the blue variety of limestone above mentioned, often approaching
French grey in lightness of colour ; it dips slightly towards the E. or
N. of EK. The village is rather noted for the brilliancy and perma-
nency of its dyes, which are fixed by washing and steeping the cotton
printed cloths in a saline well, the water of which rises up from the
limestone in the heart of the village. The surface of the water was
thirty-two and a half feet below that of the ground, owing to the dry
season ; its temperature three feet below the surface 73°, a lowness
ascribable to the constant evaporation caused on the surface and sides
1845. ] across the Peninsula of Southern India. 407
by the washing and the drying of cloths. Temperature of air in the
shade at 5 p.m. 85°. The principal saline ingredient, if I may judge
from the incrustations in the fissures and seams from which the water
springs, is muriate of soda. Many of the seams are occupied by a greyish
friable earth consisting of disintegrated limestone mingled. with this
saline residue left after evaporation of the water.
There is another brackish well in the town, but it does*not answer
the purpose of the native dyers so well as this. The water of the
other well is perfectly sweet. One which I visited between the saline
spring and the river, lies at the depth of twenty-three feet from the
surface, with a temperature of 75°, six and a half feet below the surface.
The time has now passed when the occurrence of common salt, the
mineral chloride of sodium of chemists, in distant regions was held to
be sufficient evidence of the existence there of the new red sandstone.
It occurs in the oldest stratified rocks of America, in the coal measures
of England, the lias of Switzerland, and all over the hypogene and
granitic area of South India.
Jummulmudgoo contains about 3,000 inhabitants, the greater por-
tion of whom are Kunbis speaking Telinghi, a language which con-
tinues from Nellore to about the vicinity of Gooty and Kurnool,
where it meets the Canarese of the Western provinces, and near Beder
on the N. W. with the Mahratta. I found that it meets with the
Tamul of Madras and the Southern provinces at Sriharicotta, a vil-
lage about fifty miles North of Madras, near the old limits of the
Andra-des, or Telinghi country, and the Dravidame-des. Jummul-
mudgoo was formerly a place of some importance under the Anna-
gundi or Bijanugger princes, and the Chetvail rajahs. It subsequent-
ly shared the same fate as the rest of their dominions South of the
Tumbuddra. It is the burial place of Sidi Miyan, brother of Halim
Khan, Nuwab of Cuddapah in Hyder’s time. Funeral rites in
memory of him were performed during my encampment here. The
remains of the Diwan-khanah and palace of the Cuddapah rulers,
and a small fort without a ditch, still exist.
Pass of Gundicotta. Previous to describing the defile through
which the Pennaur flows Easterly from the plain of Tarputri into that
of Cuddapah, it will be right to mention that the ridge, through
-
ttl
408 Notes, principally Geological, [ No. 162.
which this transverse fissure occurs, commenees a few miles South of
Kurnool, on the S. bank of the Tumbuddra on the N. W., and runs
Southerly through Dhone, and the Eastern borders of Banganpilly
and Gooty by Munimudgoo, whence the direction is S. Easterly by
Owk, W. of Ollavaconda, Juggernatgooda, the Timnainpetta tank,
and Jummulmudgoo, to the hamlet of Cullamulla, about thirteen miles
S. E. from Jummulmudgoo, and about fifteen miles from the fissure
of Gundicotta.
The direct breadth of the range where intersected by the fissure is
about five miles, and its extreme height apparently not more than
600 feet ; the extreme height of the precipices on either side, ascertain-
ed trigonometrically, is not more than 250 feet, and often not more
than 80 feet. The general direction is E. by N., though in its course
through the hills it describes two salient and two re-entering angles.
The bottom of the fissure is flattish, and occupied completely by
the sandy bed of the Pennaur. The breadth is usually from 100 to
300 paces.
In Hamilton’s account, taken from Heyne, Rennell, &c., the Pass
of Gundicotta is described as a break or chasm in the mountains,
which “appears to have resulted from some violent concussion of na-
ture, as it is very narrow, and the opposite sides almost perpendi-
cular.” Induced by this description to suppose that some interesting
dislocation of the strata on a large scale had taken place, I examined
narrowly the sides of the Pass. Entering it with the Pennaur from
the West, from the wide sandy waste caused by the confluence of the
Chittravutty river with the former stream, the sides of the opening
present steep slopes of sandstones thinly covered with a sandy soil
and scattered bushes, among which frolicked troops of gay monkies.
About the middle of the Pass, under the walls of the fortress of
Gundicotta, which crown the Southern cliffs, the sides are precipitous
masses of sandstone divided by fissures into vertical pinnacles, assi-
milating ruins, and which are oceasionally undermined by the
force of the monsoon freshes and precipitated into the bed of the
river.
The sandstone strata forming the precipices on each side exhibit no
marks of dislocation or violent disturbance. They dip at an angle
1845. ] across the Peninsula of Southern India. 409
rarely above 10° towards the East and N. of E., and the undisturbed
dip of the beds can be traced from one side to the other.
_ No ledges supporting beds of rolled pebbles could be found on the
faces of the cliffs, or other marks of the rocks having been worn by
watery erosion down to the present channel.
It is therefore reasonable to infer that this singular fissure has been
mainly occasioned by contraction of the mass during consolidation, and
not by “a violent convulsion of nature or erosion ;” although there is
little doubt that its width has been since increased and shape modified
by the washing of the river floods, as is evident from the precipitated
debris from the sides which occasionally strew the bed. Smaller pa-
rallel fissures are observable in the cliffs on each side, one of which has
formed the cave called by the native guides, “Pandit Gani.”
The bed of the river is filled with sand and fragments of sandstone,
and occasionally of its associated blue limestone, to so great a depth as to
render an examination of the downward continuation of the fissure
impracticable.
The great depression of the bottom of the fissure is clearly shown
by the sudden manner in which the waters of the Pennaur are de-
flected into it from the S. E. course they were pursuing along the
Western flank of the hills, and by the confluence of the Chittravutty
at this point.
The river during the rains is said to rise to the height of seven or
eight feet in the centre of the Pass.
The rock composing the cliffs is for the most part of a faint reddish,
compact sandstone approaching quartz rock, in tabular masses of great
thickness, though sometimes interstratified with argillaceous seams
like the sandstones of Gokauk on the Gutpurba, which are usually of
a reddish white and buffy colour.
The faces of the sandstone cliffs exhibit bands of a pale, green, red
and white, which conform to the stratification.
The cliffs sustain a rocky table-land, the surface of which is fre-
quently covered with a crust of laterite varying from a few inches to
several feet in thickness, and which is also deposited in the fissures
and seams of the subjacent sandstone.
The tabular surface of the latter rock, where denuded of this late-
ritic crust, is often divided into parallelograms by intersecting fissures
and joints.
3 L
\)
410 Notes, principally Geological, [No. 162.
In some places nodular spheroidal concretions, about the size of a
nutmeg, of quartz rock are seen imbedded in a mass of sandstone,
around which the arenaceous particles of the rock are arranged in con-
centric bands of different shades, like those in agates. This concentric
segregative structure is particularly observable in the more ferruginous
portions of the rock.
Ripple marks are very common on the larger exposed surfaces of the
sandstone strata. The table-land on the summit of the hills is a wild
looking tract, covered with long grass and bush, which is burnt every
year and produces good crops of turmeric.
Fortress of Gundicotta. The cliffs on the South of the Pass, and
near its middle, are ascended at the ruins and tombs of Allahabad by
a steep zigzag path to the once celebrated fortress begun by the Hindu
sovereigns of Bijanugger, greatly enlarged by Aurungzebe’s and Kut-
tub Shah’s famous General, Mir Jumlah, and added to by Hyder and
Tippoo.
After the fall of Bijanugger in 1564, the fort was still retained by
Nursing Raj, nephew of the slain Hindu monarch Ram Raj, from
whom it was taken after a severe siege by Mahomed Kuli Kuttub —
Shah, king of Golconda, or rather by his General Mir Jumlah. It
was subsequently annexed to the Patan government of Cuddapah by
Neknam Khan, and afterwards given up to Hyder when he reduced
this part of the Balaghat. It was ceded to the British by the treaty
with the Nizam in 1800. The fortifications are extensive, and con-
tain a handsome Chuhar Minar, military magazine, and mosque, a
small town, and the ruins of a temple to Mahadeo; to whose shrine
Ferishta tells us 100,000 Hindus of Bijanugger used to make an an-
nual pilgrimage and offer gifts of great value. Besides the two paths
by Allahabad are the other approaches to the fort, viz. one by an easy
ascent from Jummulmudgoo on the East, and the other from Chitty-
wanripilly by a steep and rugged ascent just practicable for horses.
Figure-stone quarries of Reddadoor. Proceeding Westerly from the
Pass of Gundicotta, I passed along the plain on the left bank of the Chit-
travutty river to the hill pagoda of Reddadoor, nearly eight miles W. by
S. from the base of the Gundicotta hills. Limestone, passing into argil-
Jaceous shales and schists, constitutes the rock in the plain. The ridge
of Reddadoor is about a mile in length, running in an E. by S. direc-
tion: it consists of argillaceous slates alternating with a finely lami-
1845. } across the Peninsula of Southern India. 4l1
nated fissile shale of various shades of brown, chocolate, red, and yel-
low passing into a pure white. These rocks have a distinctly jointed
structure: the joints are nearly vertical running in aS. W. direction.
The planes of stratification are inclined at an angle of from 10° to 15°
dipping towards E. 10° N.; they are easily distinguishable here from
the smooth surfaces of cleavage by their dimpled and rippled super-
ficies. The cleavage planes are also marked by dendritic delineations.
This ridge has been penetrated by a large dyke of basaltic green-
stone, running nearly E. and W., and branching in a N. and 8S.
direction. It is seen outcropping along the whole extent of the S. W.
base. At the N. E. base both branches disappear in the plain. The
basalt is also seen bursting through the strata at the saddle-shaped
depression on the summit of the ridge, where it has both a globular and
prismatic structure, the prisms pass into the globular form by the ex-
foliation of their angles, and I have even observed small spheroidal
nuclei in the exfoliated coats, which are in turn subjected to concen-
tric exfoliation. The dyke, like all others in this formation, does not
overspread or cap the rocks on its sides, but ends abruptly at the sur-
face. Towards the centre, like most voleanie dykes, it becomes crystal-
line and porphyritic, imbedding crystals of both whitish and pale
green felspar with a few of hypersthene and foliated hornblende. Aci-
cular augite is seen glistening in the more compact and quickest cool-
ed parts of the dyke, and occasionally cubes of iron pyrites. The ba-
salt melts easily into a greyish black glass.
The shale in contact, both in the plain and on the saddle of the
ridge, is either hardened and rendered massive, compact or ferrugi-
nous, or is broken up, by crystalline forces apparently, into a number
of lamin often distinctly prismatic, and exhibiting dendritic marks
on the planes into which they readily split. At the base of the hill
the basalt and indurated shales assimilate so much at the’ junction
line that it is difficult to distinguish them ; the shale has become dark
and hornblendic, and the basalt has acquired something of the fissile
‘structure of the shale. A similar phenomenon is observed in the me-
tamorphism of the hypogene rocks of Southern India, where the granite
near the point of contact acquires the structure of gneiss, and the gneiss
becomes in turn more granular, massive or granitoidal. The pheno-
mena presented by granite and basaltic greenstone at their contact
with metamorphic or other stratified rocks are extremely interesting ;
412 Notes, principally Geological, [No. 162.
and no country in the world, perhaps, affords better opportunities for
their study than S. India. Some of the fissures of the dyke on the
ridge of the hill are filled with cale spar, and many of the loose blocks
encrusted with the same mineral and compact reddish kunker.
Thin seams of nephrite occasionally intervene between the basalt and
its walls; and the limestone associated with the slates has in some
instances been converted into chert after assimilating calcedony in tex-
ture and colour.
Where basaltic greenstone and granite, or other plutonic rocks have
extended on a great scale, we generally find not only a great tendency
to crystalline and mineral development, but a segregation of the ordi-
nary components of the rocks of the heated area, of such magnitude as
to be at once apparent in the physical aspect of the country in large
beds and ridges of quartz, iron ore, or quartz strongly impregnated
with iron, felspathic clays, &e.
But to return. At the Southern base of the ridge the shales acquire
a massive structure, and form a soft lilac tinted rock speckled with
green, with a slightly soapy feel and easily sectile, which melts before
the blow-pipe per se into a pearly glass. It is here quarried and carved
into images, figures of deities, &c., which are exported.
I had a very neat representation of the Avatars of Vishnu, executed
on a large slab of this material which, though I have given it the
name of figure-stone, by no means resembles the agalmatolite of China,
used for similar purposes.* Much of the water rising through the
fissures of the rock around the base of the ridge is impregnated with
muriate of soda; and further West to Ganlapaud the plain is inter-
sected with trap dykes penetrating the grey limestone and its asso-
ciated shales, which are often greatly altered and silicified. The
genera] direction of the strata observed was E.S. E. and S. E. and dip
N. of E. Hence, the plain to the base of the Rayelcherroo hills is
chiefly limestone and associated shales and schists covered with regur.
South of Rgyelcherroo the limestone becomes of a waxy texture,
compact, of a conchoidal fracture, veined and dotted with delicate
shades of green, yellow, red, and imbeds pyrites. It rises into irregu-
Jar hills and ridges, alternates with sandstone, and sandstone conglo-
merate. The hills become still more confused and jumbled, as the
* The Agalmatolite is wholly infusible. This is probably one of the many varieties
of steatite.—Eps,
1845. ] across the Peninsula of Southern India. 413
junction line with the granite is approached about six miles E. of
Gooly, and the development of quartz is seen on the strange shaped
peaks and mural ridges near the granite line. These hills, which form
a most rugged and picturesque country, constitute the main and wes-
ternmost ridge of which the Gundicotta range just passed is a spur
running down into the great plains of Tarputtri and Dhoor, and termi-
nating abruptly as we have seen at Cullamulla, a few miles N. of the
Travellers’ bungalow at Chillumcoor.
These westernmost ridges instead of following the S. E. direction
of the Gundicotta spur at the point of bifurcation between Banganpilly,
Owk, Munimudgoo, and Piapully, continue their nearly N. and S.
course from the banks of the Tumbuddra near Kurnool by Gooty to the
vicinity of Anantapore in the Bellary district, whence they turn Easterly
to the S. of Cuddapah, where they join the Eastern Ghauts; thus
forming with the ‘impenetrable unsurveyed” spurs projecting westerly
from the Eastern Ghauts along the 8. bank of the Tumbuddra, to the
North, the most complete basin perhaps in Southern India, embracing
the great Regur plains of Cuddapah and Kurnool, and the beds of the
Pennaur and its tributaries the Khoond and Chittravati. The Pennaur,
which rises near Nundidroog, flowing Southerly from these water-
sheds of the elevated plateau of Mysore, is deflected suddenly by the
great granitic outburst near Gooty from its farther course Northerly
towards the Tumbuddra, which it would have certainly joined had not
this rocky barrier compelled its stream to seek an Easterly course through
the hilly edges and fertile plains of this sandstone-girt basin, to the
Bay of Bengal. This basin and its rocky mountainous fringe, which
consists chiefly of the diamond sandstone and limestone, comprehend
the richest diamond mines of the former kingdom of Golconda, iron
in great abundance, and the richest and almost only mines of galena
in Southern India. It is composed for the most part of sandstone con-
glomerate, sandstone, arenaceous schists, limestone passing into silici-
ous schists and into argillaceous schists, and shales of various shades,
reddish brown, chocolate, and pale green prevailing. It was thought
by Malcolmson, Heyne and others, that the formation consisted of the
limestone underlying a sandstone and conglomerate imbedding the
diamond. So far this is the case, but I have discovered on the Eastern“
limits from Juggernath S. of Kurnool to Gooty, and at Mudelaity
414 Notes, principally Geological, [No. 162.
near Banganpilly, that beds of sandstone and sandstone conglomerate,
reposing immediately on granite, underlie the limestone ; and that the
limestone must have been consolidated prior to the deposition upon it
of the upper sandstone and its conglomerates, since in the latter I have
found imbedded pebbles from the subjacent limestone. The formation,
then, consists ofan upper and lower sandstone and conglomerates, and
the intervening limestone and associated shales.
Leaving this granite based chain, the great frontier plains of the
Ceded Districts and Mysore are crossed to the hill fortresses of Rai-
droog, and Chittledroog, where we find magnificent outbursts of gra-
nite and other plutonic rocks, rising abruptly and irregularly from
the nearly vertical hypogene schists which have suffered every variety
of flexure and disturbance.
Chundergooty Droog. The granite, on which stands the Droog or
hill fort of Chundergooty, rises into two lofty peaks, the steepest sides
of which are nearly parallel to those of the Western Ghauts, sloping
off towards the East and South. The joints in the lower ranges of
laminar granite, or granitoidal gneiss, are divided by vertical fissures
giving them much the appearance of vertical strata, as remarked by
Christie in his paper on the Geology of the South Mahratta country.
The Droog, it is said, was built in the time of the Pandion kings, and
strengthened by Hyder. The village in the base consists of about fifty
houses under a Killadar, with twenty men. Coffee is cultivated at
Sindli, a village about a koss distance, and iron, obtained from mines
at a short distance, is exported hence to the West coast.
From Chundergooty to Siddapore, the road for the latter part lies over
the undulating and hilly tracts on the slopes of the Western Ghauts,
which gradually become more and more covered with wood. Granite,
and the hypogene rocks, intersected by dykes of basaltic greenstone
and overlaid occasionally by patches of laterite, are the only rocks
observed. About three koss distance from Siddapore lies the ancient
and decayed town of Bilghy, formerly the capital of the Santavi-raya
Rajahs. Siddapore is now the Kusbah town of the talook. It contains
between 200 and 300 houses, inhabited chiefly by Lingayats speaking
Canarese, Concanis, Haiga Brahmins and Mussulmans. ‘The staple
“articles of cultivation are rice, betel-nut, cardamoms, and black pep-
per. The three last are exported chiefly to Mysore, the Ceded Dis-
5
‘
1845. ] across the Peninsula of Southern India. 415
tricts, and other parts of the interior; and to the native port of
Kompta on the Western coast, passing down the Gairsuppa or Hos.
sulmucki Ghaut and the Hoss Ghaut, on bullocks. Iron is procured
in the neighbouring hills. .
Ridge of the Western Ghauts. Between Siddapore and the Falls of
Gairsuppa, the highest edge of the Ghaut ridge is crossed ; the water-
sheds of the table-lands to the Eastward, and of the mountain-streams
that rush in the monsoon with great violence down their precipitous
sides and across the narrow strip at their base into the Indian
sea. |
The Warda was the last stream of any size observed flowing Eas-
terly. The Ghauts descend to the Westward from this anticlinal axis
by short and steepish declivities and irregular terraces. The surface
rock is principally a quartzy lateritic conglomerate, overlying the
hypogene schist, principally hornblende schist, gneiss, mica, chloritic,
talcose, and actynolitic schists, which are occasionally seen basseting
out. The more ferruginous of these schists disintegrate into a compact
red clay, in which are seen veins of quartz continued from the subja-
cent rocks, still maintaining their slope and direction.
The soil is red and clayey, and in the rains greasy and slippery
in the extreme, owing probably to the decayed tale and mica; garnets
abound in it.
Physical aspect W. Ghauts. As the Ghauts are approached from
the plateau of Mysore, the flat plains begin to undulate, rising all
the time to the Westward, and as the traveller progresses the undu-
lations become shorter and more perceptible, till the highest ridge
of the Pass is attained. The height of the rocks on either side of the
path is generally concealed by forest.
The nature of the vegetation that clothes the surface too suffers a
manifest change, and becomes more profuse. In place of the clumps
of mangoes and tamarind, which diversify the plains with their hedges
and thickets of Aloe, Euphorbia, Cacti, Acacia, Cassia, Parkinsonia ?
we see graceful clumps of bamboo, the broad-leafed Bilami, Marea
Chinensis, the leaves and root of which are supposed to be specifics
for snake-bites, and the Dudol yielding excellent timber. The
Pulas (Butea Frondosa) with its brilliant orange-red flowers yield-
ing a beautiful yellow dye known to ‘the preparers of the coloured
>.
416 Notes, principally Geological, [ No. 162.
balls used in the festival of the Hooli, and its broad thick leaves
which serve the Hindu as plates and dishes, the laurel-leaved Gorui
(Ixora parviflora) which furnishes torches for the traveller. The
Mutti tree (Chuncoa Muttia) the ashes of which, particularly the bark,
containing much potash, are used instead of chunam, by betel-chew-
ers: the tree also affords good timber. Here and there a magnificent
banyan throws down its hundred arms, and the sacred Peepul rears
its verdant head ; while further in the jungle grows the sandal, supply-
ing the fragrant oil and wood for which this part of the Ghauts is fa-
mous. The Sissoo (Dalbergia,) and Terminalia alata, excellent timber
trees; the hard and lofty teak itself, and the Hopea decandria, the
wood of which is harder and more durable even than that of the teak ;
the sago and areca palms, the jack, and the cashew nut. The wild cin-
namon (Cassia lignea) grows in great abundance near the Falls, and the
underwood glowed with the beautiful blossoms of the scarlet Ixora,
sacred to Siva and Krishnu, while the air was redolent with the fra-
grance of the wild jasmine.
The vegetation of the Ghauts strongly reminded me, in its regular
and smooth bust-like outline, of that which clothes the lovely and ever
verdant Malayan Islands to the water’s edge, similar loranthaceous
parasites festoon the loftier trees of the forest, and the jungles abound
with Myrtacee and Laurinee. The Ixoras and Eugenias are common
to both, and the cultivated forest clearings yield abundant supplies of
black pepper, cardamoms, areca, coffee, plantains, &c.
Falls of Gairsuppa. Accompanied by my friend, Lieut. White,
‘ A7th Regt., I arrived from Siddapore at the thatched bungalow of
Korkunni, early in August, a little after midday. The bungalow
stands in an open part of the forest, about one and a half mile from
the Falls, the sound of which however did not yet reach us. Dripping
with rain, our shoes full of blood from the jungle leeches that had fast-
ened on our legs, and tolerably well fagged from a muddy march chiefly
on foot over clayey and rocky ascents and descents, covered with
dense thicket, we could not restrain our curiosity; but leaving our
servants to prepare breakfast, with a guide trotting in front, we has-
tened towards the Falls along a narrow path winding through bush
mixed with tall forest which clothes the banks of the Saramwatz, for
such is the name of the river that performs this stupendous lover’s-leap
——— «ae ee, — i oe — a
hy
1845.] across the Peninsula of Southern India. Ali
from the chains of the giant Ghauts into the arms of his ocean-rescued*
_ Mistress—prolific Canara.
As we threaded the tortuous path, the rushing sounds of the
rapids became clearly distinguishable from the shriller whistling of
the wind, and the pattering of the rain among the leaves and branches
of the trees.
On a nearer approach this rushing sound was suddenly drowned
by the deep thunder, evidently of the Fall itself, which appeared to
proceed from a great depth beneath the ground on which we walked,
and which now was fairly felt to vibrate from the weighty shock. The
air too became palpably colder, a phenomenon doubtless caused by the
evaporation from the clouds of spray which canopy the Falls and ad-
jacent banks. |
Deceived by this sound, which still seemed afar off, into the ima-
gination that the river was yet at a considerable distance, we unex-
pectedly emerged from the thicket upon the rapid immediately above
the brink of the Falls, when the cause of this deception became evident ;
the din of the waters had been deadened by the peculiar shape, the
immense depth, and confined dimensions of the chasm into which
they were precipitated. Hence the ventrioloquism of the cataract.
_ We now stood silent and astounded by the roar and rush :—amid
the grey clouds of mist and spray the arrowy waters of the rapid
were visible, divided into a multitude of currents by the rock masses
against which they tumultuously dashed in their impetuous progress
to the edge of the precipice.
Here, as the eye and ear follow its course to the main Fall, the ra-
pid literally dies a sudden death; its clamorous voice is abruptly si-
lenced, and it bodily disappears, as if by magic, in the bowels of the
earth, or into the region of moving mist which curtained the chasm
from the place we were standing on.
After indulging a short time in this magnificent spectacle—a gem
set in lovely mountain and forest scenery—we scrambled over the
muddy and slippery shelves of rock towards the edge of the principal
Fall. The river was much swollen by the monsoon, but had been still
fuller, as shown by the bruised and shattered forest trees which had
* The Brahmins have a tradition, that the sub-ghautine maritime tracts of the
Western Coast were raised from the ocean for their especial use.
>)
oM
418 : Notes, principally Geological, [No. 162.
been uprooted, borne down, and thrown in confusion with other ve-
getable debris on the rocks we had to cross.
Crawling on hands and knees—an operation rendered eligible by the
then slimy surface of the rock and the painful effects of a score of tum-
bles—we contrived to reach the shelf of rock which completely projects
over the margin of the chasm, and forms an admirable point of view.
We lay down flat on the surface of this shelf, which slopes gently from —
the chasm, and drew ourselves up to its edge over which, as I stretch-
ed my head, a sight burst on the view, which I shall never forget, and
can never hope to describe. I have since looked down the fuming
and sulphurous craters of Etna and Vesuvius, but have never experi-
enced the sensations which overwhelmed me in the first downward
gaze into this (Hibernice,) volcano of waters :—for so it looks.
All thoughts of the picturesque, all pre-formed resolutions of sub-
duing the exaggerated impressions likely to be produced on the ima-
gination by such a scene, and reducing them by the sober checks of
calculation of height, depth, velocity, bulk, &e.—at once vanished, and
left the mind partaking in the tumultuous confusion and agitation
going on. But it is the chaotic scene beneath that rivets with basi-
lisk fascination the gaze of the spectator, and produces in some minds
the dangerous impulse or desire of self- precipitation.
This impulse originates possibly in a sympathy existing between
the human Mind and what is termed, perhaps inaccurately, “ Inani-
mate Nature,” which in its calm and beauteous state exercises so great
a tranquilizing effect on certain minds.
Passive amid this activity, the spectator looks downwards into an
apparently fathomless gulf of plunging waters, spray, uproar, and
mist ; first perhaps with a feeling of fear and giddiness, which rapidly
vanishes, and the mind becomes not only reconciled to the incessancy
and unvarying nature of these phenomena, but fascinated more or
less by them. It was with great reluctance, and with an intense
feeling of depression, that I withdrew my head drenched in spray
from the brink of the precipice, to examine in detail other parts of the
Falls. One might almost gaze for ever on this abyss in which a mighty
mass of water appears eternally burying itself in a mist-shrouded
grave. The clouds of spray which continually ascend heavenwards in
slow and majestic wreaths, appear to typify the shadowy ghosts of the
1845. ] across the Peninsula of Southern India. 419
entombed waters. The principal or Horse-shoe Fall is deeply located
at the right bend of the ellipse formed by the entire chasm. Over it
is precipitated the great bulk of the river, which fell over the edge
with a smooth and graceful curve in one huge muddy mass, and de-
scended in an unbroken sheet until lost to the eye in the volumes of
spray below. ;
The Rocket Fall is on the left of the Horse-shoe, and, though insig-
nificant in volume, is a cascade of extreme beauty, excelling those
of Tivoli. This Fall after descending perpendicularly a great depth,
encounters a projecting ledge of rock from which it glances with great
velocity, whiteness, and brilliancy, forming in its descent the parabolic
curve of a rocket, and sending off brilliant white jets resembling fall-
ing stars and tailed meteors. i
The Roarer, so named from its noise, is nearer the Horse-shoe than
the Rocket, and Jarger in volume; it descends in two streams upon a
shelf. of rock, down the highly inclined surface of which they rush
with much noise and rapidity in one mingled mass of foam. In the
dry weather no less than six or seven other Falls are distinguishable.
I observed a number of small rills which, after descending some dis-
tance, separated into threads: these, in descending, became gradually
divided into drops and spray, and mingled with the ascending wreaths
of mist, apparently never reaching the bottom of the cataract.
In order to ascertain the height of the principal Fall, we let downa
plummet attached to about 1000 feet of rope; but it got entangled.
near the bottom of the precipice, and broke in our exertions to draw it
up. Mr. T. Lushington, of the Madras Civil Service, informs me, that
he had successfully measured it in the dry season, and the result of
- these measurements were as follow :—
Feet.
From the top of the Falls to the surface of 898
the water in the basin below,
Depth of water in the basin, .. -- 300
Total, .. ot 1188 feet.
The mise of water above the Falls was about 300 yards broad, (Mr.
E. Maltby, of the Civil Service, informs me it is sometimes nearly 600
yards broad), and at least on average eight feet deep; current about six
420 Notes, principally Geological, [No. 162.
or seven miles per hour. In the dry season it is scarcely knee-deep,
and can be forded immediately above the Falls, with perfect safety, to
the opposite bank, whence a path, partly hewn in the rock, leads to the
basin and bed of the river below, impracticable or nearly so in the
depth of the monsoon. There are many other cascades in Upper Canara
seen glancing among the forest-clad heights of the Ghauts, but which
are approachable with difficulty during the monsoon, for instance, those
near Yellapoor, and Honeycoom, about three koss from Allawully.
To have a true estimate of the beauty of the Falls of Gairsuppa,
they should be visited both during the monsoon, and when the water
in the river is so low as to admit of their being viewed from below.
The rocks immediately beneath must present one of the most strik-
ing illustrations in the world of the eroding action of falling water, as
proved by the immense depth of the basin. To these must be added
the abrading effects of precipitated masses of rock. At the time of my
visit not less than 43,000 cubic feet of water, by rough calculation,
were falling per second into this vast rock basin.
The precipice, over which the water falls, affords a fine section of
the gneiss and its associated hypogene schists, which dip Easterly and
Northerly away from the Falls at an angle of about 35°. The gneiss
is composed of quartz and felspar, with both mica and hornblende,
and alternates with micaceous, talcose, actynolitic, chloritic and horn-
blende schists, imbedding (especially the latter) iron pyrites. These
rocks are penetrated by veins of quartz and felspar, and also of a fine-
grained granite composed of small grains of white felspar, quartz, and
mica. Christie is of opinion, that this rock is not so old a granite as
the ordinary granites of India, and that this is the only locality in
India where he has met with primitive gneiss. No sound geological
proof, however, is assigned for this opinion. All the granites of India
are of posterior origin to the hypogene rocks, which they have invaded
and altered. Regarding the age of the hypogene rocks themselves—
always a most difficult problem to solve—we are still in the dark ;
nor does the fact of this granite being associated with the so-called
‘‘ primitive gneiss,” lead us to infer an origin more recent than the or-
dinary granites of South India.
The mass of hypogene rocks has evidently been worn back several
hundred feet by the erosion and abrasion of the cataract; the softer
1845. | across the Peninsula af Southern India. 421
talcose and micaceous schists have suffered most. Mr. E. Maltby tells
me, that an instance lately occurred of the manner in which the great
Fall has receded. One of the crags composing the edge of the precipice
gave way, and inits descent struck a projecting ledge of rock with so
violent a concussion as to carry away a large extent of the face of the
precipice. The whole mass fell into the basin below with a noise that
startled the country for some miles around.
Rock basins are frequent in the bed of the river, which is worn in
the rock, and rugged with water-worn rocky masses. The Falls of
Gairsuppa may be justly ranked amongst the most magnificent
cataracts of the globe. While excelled in height by the Cerosoli
and Evanson cascades in the Alps,* and the Falls of the Arve in
Savoy, the Gairsuppa cataract surpasses them in volume of water
precipitated ; and while much inferior to Niagara in volume, it far
excels these celebrated Falls of the New World in height.
There are other picturesque falls and cascades in this part of the
Ghauts: those most worth seeing are the cascades of Honeycoom, about
three koss from Allawully, and those of Yellapoor. Farther North
are the splendid Falls of the Yenna in the Mahabuleshwar hills, 600
feet high ; and to the South those of the Cauvery, 300—viz., the Gunga
Chakki 300 feet high, and the Burra Chakki, or Southern Fall, about
200 feet. Then come the Cascades of the Neilgherris, viz. those of Py-
kari, Kaiteeor Kulhattee, and the Elk cataract. The Falls of Courtal-
lum in Tinnevelly are about 220 feet high, and the sacred cataract of
Pupanassum among the Ghauts of Travancore 160 feet high, and
lastly, of the Falls of Komari near Cape Comorin. The mass of water
precipitated over these Falls in the monsoon, and the amount of erosion
and minor details are still desiderata. Many other Cascades exist in
the Western Ghauts, of which there are no published accounts at all.
Those of Gokauk I have already attempted to describe.
* The height of the Cerosoli Cascade is 2400 feet; that of Evanson, 1200 feet; and
the Falls of the Arve, 1100 feet.
At Niagara asheet of water, two miles across, is contracted to less than half its former
breadth, and in the state of an impetuous rapid, running at the rate of seven or eight
miles an hour, and about 20 feet in depth, is hurled over a projecting mass of horizon-
tal limestone strata down a precipice 164 feet high, over which it falls in two great
sheets into the basin below.
~
422 ) Notes, principally Geological, [No. 162.
Western facade of the Ghauts. We now descended the Ghauts
by the Hossulmakki Pass. Gneiss and its associated schists are seen as
at Gairsuppa ; but the gneiss is not so abundant.
These rocks are for the most part covered by a bed of red clay, some-
times fifteen feet thick ; and on the summit of the Ghaut by laterite,
in insulated beds and large dark coloured blocks. ‘The laterite is al-
most wanting on the steepest descents, but is seen on the terraces
which break the declivity, and again at a short distance from the base
covering for the most part the lowlands of Canara to the sea at Honore.
Not far from the summit of the Ghauts two dykes of basaltic green-
stone were crossed, running ina S. E. direction. The dip of the hy-
pogene schists, which compose the great mass of the mountain chain, is
irregular and confused, both on the descent and at the base.
The amount of dip varies from nearly vertical to horizonta], and
the strata in many situations have suffered irregular flexures and con-
tortions. One great mass of schists at the base dipped Westerly at an
angle of 30°. |
Base of the Western Ghauts. The gneiss and mica schists at the base
of the Ghauts are veined with a pegmatite composed of white quartz,
and flesh-coloured felspar, which is rather massive than schistose, and
occasionally exhibits a tendency to assume the doubly oblique prisma-
tic structure, or primary form of the latter mineral. Sometimes sil-
very white mica is seen segregated in this rock in very large rhombic
prisms, capable of being divided, like the hemi-prismatic tale mica of
Russia, called Muscovy glass, into extremely thin lamelle.
The mica schist passes distinctly into a chloritic clay slate, and
into reddish and variegated slate clays resembling those around
Darwar in the South Mahratta country. The white and purplish
varieties have the same soft, and obscurely slaty structure. These
again, where exposed, rapidly assume the state of clay, under the
heavy monsoon rains.
I observed several groupes of pinnacled columns, a foot or more in
height, formed in these clays by the action of the heavy drops of rain
falling from the high forest trees which shade them. On the top
of each pinnacle was a small pebble, which explained the modus
operandi.
1845. | across the Peninsula of Southern India. 423
These pebbles had been scattered over the surface of the clay, and
had protected like a cap the portion of clay immediately under it from
the downward washing action of these heavy drops, which had evi-
dently worn away the intervening portions not similarly capped and
protected. On removing the stone from the top of one of these
columns, it was soon washed down by the heavy rain then falling.
Large veins of white, blackish and faint rose-coloured quartz asso-
ciated with felspar, and imbedding large plates of silvery mica, are
seen in the schists which in disintegration form a white earth with
crimson dots and patches.
Tonn of Gairsuppa. A short distance Westerly from the base of
the Ghauts, and about sixteen miles direct distance from the sea at
Honore, stands the modern village or town of Gairsuppa, pleasantly
situated on the left bank of the river to whose Falls it has given its name.
It is shaded by a grove of tall cocoa-nut trees.
A little to the South of the present village lie the ruins of the an-
cient town which, under the rule of the Jaina Rajas of Ikery and
Bednore, and the female dynasty of Baira-devi, is said to have con- .
- tained a lac of habitations, and seventy-four Bastis or Jaina temples.
Although these traditions are not to be relied on implicitly, still there
- are marks of “‘ Gairsuppa” having once been a place of considerable
importance, as evident by the extent of the mounds and remains of walls
enclosures, wells, &c. The remnants of five or six Jaina temples are
still visible, in one of which stood the Chatir Miki, or four-faced idol
of this sect.
It now comprises about fifty houses, inhabited principally by Sirigarras,
a few Mahomedans, Conany Brahmins, and the low caste Halipaiks.
The Haiga Brahmins live chiefly on their own estates in houses scat-
tered over the surface of the tract from which they derive their appel-
lation of ‘‘ Haiga,” extending from Honore to Gokern.
From Gairsuppa to Honore. The face of the country from the
town of Gairsuppa to Honore is diversified by hill and dale, well
clothed with wood and thicket. The formation is chiefly laterite co-
vering the hypogene schists, and forming long low ranges skirting the
vallies, through which the Ghaut drainage finds its way to the sea,
and flat-topped conical hills. Although the highest present freshes
do not reach the base of the laterite cliffs which flank their banks, it is
*
424 Notes, principally Geological, [ No. 162.
evident that they must have done so at some more ancient epoch dur-
ing the elevation of the Ghauts from the bed of the ocean. They pre-
sent alternately salient and re-entering angles, precisely similar to
those seen in the banks of a large river.
Honore. The fort of Honore, or more correctly Honawar, stands
on high, flat-topped cliffs of laterite, the base of which is washed by the
embouchure of the Sarawati or Gairsuppa river, which here forms an
extensive back-water or lagoon, owing to its mouth being obstructed
by a bar of sand. The channel is said to have shifted within the last
fourteen years.
The embouchure to the N. E. is protected by a small projecting
island. The river during the rains is navigable for native craft as far
as Chendawar.
The remains of Tippoo’s lines are still to be seen on the laterite
cliffs to the E. N. E. The public buildings, bungalows of the civilians
and military, occupy the top of the cliff on which the old fort stood,
and of which nothing but the foundations are now visible.
The native town lies at the base of the cliffs, and contains between
five and six hundred houses, inhabited principally by Concany Brah-
mins, Haiga Brahmins, Mussulmans, native Christians, Halipaiks,
Gouras, and a few Jains.
The staple produce is rice, cocoa-nut, and betel-nut, Salt fish is
exported in considerable quantity, and the Gurugars here are cele-
brated for their skill in carving the sandal-wood of the Ghauts into
work-boxes, card-cases, desks, &c.
Honore was early a place of considerable traffic. The Portuguese
erected a fort here in 1505 a. p., and Hyder a dockyard, for the pur-
pose of building a navy.
It is now a small civil and military station, subordinate to Manga-
lore, the head-quarters of the Collectorate of Canara. The tem-~
perature of the river freshes here in the month of August, was 78°.
Temperature of sea 76°. Of wells from 84 to 87°. The last, which
is that of a spring called Ram Thert, is possibly thermal? Tem-
perature of airin the shadeat the time 81°. Off the mouth of the river
is a bold picturesque islet, said to abound in iron ore.
On the bank of the river near its mouth and close to the water’s
edge, I found some rounded fragments of a cream-coloured fossil lime-
1845. | across the Peninsula of Southern India. 425
stone, which at first from their situation and rolled appearance, I
thought had been transported from the Ghauts by the river freshes ;
but which, on farther enquiry, [ found had been discharged as ballast
by boatmen from the N. of Bombay, probably from Cutch.
Some of these fossils are evidently a species of nummulite; others
have a singular spiral structure, and spherical globular form, of which
my friend Captain Allardyce has favoured me with the following mag-
nified drawings. (See Fig., Diagrams \ and 2.)
Of these singular fossils, Ishall give Captain Allardyce’s renee
instead of my own.
Description of Fig. 1.
This is a section of the fossil as it is most frequently seen: it shews
little of the structure, except that it is convolute-in this direction, which
leads to the idea of its being a shell, and this a section across its axis
or column.
Description of Fig. 2.
This is a section of the same shell in the direction of its column :
the outer portion is an even fracture towards the centre tending to
divide the shell equally ; but the interior portion must be supposed
raised and hemispherical, part of the crust having been removed to
shew the structure.
The striz are minute grooves, being the longitudinal sections of a
set of capillary tubes that run spirally round the column in number
amounting to 50 or 100 all abreast.
The transverse section of these tubes is seen in the last whorl near
the circumference, where they are cut across, and appear in the
shape of pores or holes. During each revolution the tubes terminate
six or eight times in a general partition, which runs from one end of
the column to the other; so that these partitions resemble the divisions
of an orange or the valves ofa capsule. The tubes can be nothing else
than spiral cells, while instead of one as in other shells, there is a great
number combined, and it appears as if the animal had been divided
into many parts like the corals. The thickness of the crust, as com-
pared with the diameter of the cells, is extraordinary ; and in this res-
pect also there is a resemblance to the corals and encrinites.
The exterior shape of the fossil is subglobose.
3N
426 _ Geological Notes of Southern India. [ No. 162.
There is another organic form contained in this limestone, of which
the following figure No. 3, will give an idea, and which I think may
be the true transverse section of No. 2. It exhibits concentric lines of
holes or pores, slightly depressed at the extremities, and generally three
innumber. (See Fig., Diagram 3.)
These fossils do not appear in the Cutch catalogue, or in other figured
fossils of India that have fallen under my notice.
On the Meris and Apors of Assam. By Lieut. J.T. E. Datton, Assis-
tant Commissioner, Assam. Ina letter to Major Jenkins. Communi-
cated by the Government of India.
My pear Masor,—I have this moment received yours of the 8th, for
which many thanks. I fully intended sending you a supplemental paper,
giving such information as I was able to collect regarding the Abors,
their trade with the Meris, and communication with Thibet. The account
I sent you was hurriedly written, and is, I know, very incomplete in
many material points; but as a mere programme for the more ample
narrative we may next year be, 1 hope, enabled to compile, it may not
be necessary to add much to it at present.
The Customs, Language, Religion, &c. There is no very material differ-
ence between the Aborsand Meris. They are evidently of common ori-
gin, and the Duphlas are of the same race, The Meris from their inter-
course with the plains are, in some respects, more civilized, but almost
all I have said concerning them applies equally to the tribes more remote.
They intermarry with them, exchange slaves, and are generally in the
habit of constant intercourse. The Meris, many of whom have become
rich in cattle and goods, appreciate the value of combining for mutual
support, and dwell in villages. ‘The Abors, as they themselves say,
are like tigers, two cannot dwell in one den; and I understand their
houses are scattered singly or in groups of two and three over the im-
mense extent of mountainous country occupied by them.
The Meris say, that whenever afew families of Abors have united into
a society, fierce feuds about women and summary vengeance, or the
Fig 3
Fossil bodies (magnified )
to illustrate Captain Newrbolds Pope
a
1 i
»
i
Wn «7
%, «6 7 ' J
N i: ba
Bate, ucla
ati 4
Hie
4.
1845.] On the Meris and Abors of Assam. 427
dread of it, soon breaks up or scatters the community. They therefore
prefer building apart, and depending upon their own resources for main-
taining themselves in their isolated positions. They are compelled to be
more industrious than the Meris, and can fashion themselves daos and
weave coarse cloth, arts of which the Meris are ignorant, or more
correctly speaking, which they have lost. The iron for the former is, I
believe, obtained from the other side, for I have not learnt that they un-
derstand the art of working the ore, and that which the Meris import
from the plains they purchase ready made into daos for their own use.
The cotton used in the coarse cloths they weave is grown by them-
selves, very little of it ever finds its way down here; but I saw one load
of it this year, and it appeared of excellent quality. Between the Abors
and Meris there is a considerable trade. The Meris import from the
Abor country munjeet, beads, daos, ‘“‘ Deo guntas” the little bells I
have described in my former account, and cooking utensils of metal,
Myttons, slaves, and I may say wives, their marriages being so entirely
a matter of barter. In return for which the Abors take cloths of
Assamese manufacture, salt or any articles imported by the Meris from
Assam. Of the mode in which their intercourse with Thibet is carried on,
I have as yet obtained very little information. I have never yet met
with an Abor who had been across, and the Meris I have questioned on
the subject assert they had not seen the tribes who are in direct com-
munication; but from those who had seen them they had heard of a
fine rich country inhabited by people who wore fine clothes, dwelt in
stone houses, and rode on horses, which was watered by a mighty river.
How ever they manage it, the Abors import from this country every
thing above enumerated, save the munjeet, slaves, and wives that they
interchange with the Meris. The large metal dishes thus imported
are of superior manufacture, and fetch high prices when brought in
here by the Meris. The Meris possess cooking vessels of great size so
obtained, which they use at their feasts, but are very jealous of produc-
ing before strangers. The daos are of superior temper, but of rude
finish, and of the workmanship, as I believe, of Thibetan blacksmiths ;
they are probably made in the rough for the express purpose of barter
with these people, as they are made in Luckimpore for the Meris. In
addition to the articles I have enumerated, the Abors import salt (from
the description given of it rock salt) from the north, for it appears they
428 On the Meris and Abors of Assam. [ No. 162.
have a very scanty supply of it, and gladly take our salt from the Meris
when they can get it. I presume it to be animportation : what they ex-
port in return I know not, but most likely cotton and munjeet. Be-
tween the Duphla and Meris countries there is a tribe called ‘‘ Auks”
and ‘‘ Auka Meris” by the Assamese, who never visit the plains, but yet
appear, from all I have been able to glean regarding them, very superior
to the tribes of this family we are acquainted with. Surrounded by lofty
mountains, the country they inhabit is an extensive valley, represented
as being perfectly level, and watered by a branch or perhaps the principal
stream of the Soondree, and richly cultivated. They are said to possess
fifteen large villages, the cultivation of one adjoining that of the other,
so that there isno waste land between. Their chief cultivation and sole
staple appears to be rice, to rear which they irrigate the land, and are
said to have magnificent crops in return. Their lands are not, I am told,
adapted to the cultivation of cotton, but they procure as much of it as
they require from the Abors in exchange for rice. In industry and art
they are acknowledged by the Meris to be very much ¢heir superiors,
who however, perhaps for this very reason, look upon the Aukas as their
inferiors in the scale of creation. The Auka ladies wear blue or black
petticoats, and jackets of white cotton of their own manufacture : their
faces are tatooed ‘‘ unde nomen’ Auka, which is given to them by the
Assamese. They call themselves ‘“‘ Tenae.” The males.do not rejoice
in much drapery; they wear a girdle of cane-work painted red, which
hangs down behind in a long bushy tail I am told, and must have a
comical effect. Of their religion all I have heard is, that every fourth
year there is a kind of religious jubilee devoted to sacrificing and feast-
ing at the different villages by turns; and on these occasions, some one
officiates as priest : other particulars in which they differ from the Meris
have been related tome. The Meris, however extensive the family
and the number of married couples it includes, all occupy one house.
The young men of the Tenae tribe when they marry leave their
fathers’ house, and set up for themselves. During the Moamorya troubles
many of the Assamese of this division are said to have sought and
found in the Tenae valley a refuge from the persecutions of that sect,
the refugees appear to have been generously treated, and no obstacles
were opposed to their return to their own country when the dangers that
threatened them were removed; but I have sometimes heard that a few
1845. | On the Meris and Abors of Assam. 429
remained of their own free-will, who settled in the valley, and are still
to be found there. ~*
The Tenae appear to be a very peaceably disposed people, but they
occasionally are compelled to take up arms to punish marauding
Abors, and they are said to do the business at once effectually and
honorably, whilst the Meris and Abors confine their warfare to noc-
turnal and secret attacks, and, if successful in effecting a surprise, in-
discriminately massacre men, women, and children. The Tenae declare
hostilities, march openly to attack their enemy, and make war only
on men, and their revenge does not extend beyond the simple attain-
ment of their object in taking up arms. If this be true, it places them in
a high rank, as a humane people, amongst our Mountain tribes. Tema
is my authority for both assertions, humiliating as it should have been
to him, and honorable to them; but he made the confession of the Meri
mode of waging war without any remorse of conscience.
Assured that a more particular and better authenticated account of
a people so sequestered and peculiar, would be interesting, I would, if
permitted, next cold season make every effort to visit them, in the
manner least calculated to excite jealousy or alarm. Their country
is most easily accessible from the Duphla Door ; but I am not yet well
acquainted with this tribe, and am not prepared to say that it would
be safe to attempt a passage through their country without a strong
guard, which would defeat my object entirely; and having, I think,
secured the good-will of the Meris, I would prefer, their route, though
said to possess more natural difficulties ; ascending the Soobanshiri as be-
fore to Siploo Ghaut, I propose, after having paid Tema’s country a
second visit and explored such of the Sowrock country as lies on this
side of the Soobanshiri, to proceed to the Turbotheah villages. The
Turbotheah have promised to assist me in every way from-Tema’s
village to their own, and as the Aukas or Tenae are only two good
marches from the Turbotheah Meris, I should hope to be able to make
amicable arrangements with them and the intervening Abors to permit
me to proceed in safety to their valley.
I cannot hold out any very sanguine expectations of being able to
penetrate so far as to behold Thibet from the mountain tops, or to gain
much knowledge of that country ; but without crossing the snowy range
there is a vast extent of interesting country to explore, and if Mr.
430 On the Meris and Abors of Assam. [No. 162.
Masters agrees to accompany me, we may pick up much worth know-
ing. Iam sorry I was unable to send you a sketch of my late route.
I wrote to Mr. Hornton, for a surveyor and the loan of a compass for
myself, but unfortunately my letter did not find him at home, and I did
not receive his answer till after my return. I had made my arrange-
ments, and could not wait. I send you herewith a very rough ideal
sketch, (published at p. 226) the ill execution of which I hope you will
excuse, as I am very much hurried.
This time next year I hope to be able to propose an excursion to ex-
plore the Duphlas country. I had an interview yesterday with a con-
siderable number of them, those for whom the salt has been sanctioned ;
and having concluded the business of the day, I had an amicable
talk with them, and, on the question of a visit being started, they made
no demur.
Luckimpore, the 23rd March, 1845.
Notice of some Unpublished Coins of the Indo-Scythians. By Lieutenant
ALEXANDER CUNNINGHAM, Engineers.
In the accompanying plate are exhibited the small silver disc which
was extracted from the Manikyala Tope by General Ventura, and seve-
ral new coins of the Indo-Scythians, some of which are highly interest-
ing from their undoubted Bauddha figures, emblems, and inscriptions,
These coins afford the last links in the chain of evidence to prove the
identity of the Indo-Scythian Kanerk1, with the Buddhist prince Ka-
wisHKa of Kashmir, as was conjectured by Mr. James Prinsep, so far
back as 1833. .
No. 1.—A thin piece of silver inscribed with an Ariano-Pali legend
in two lines. In this short inscription, as in all the Tope inscriptions
yet found, the letters are of a cursive and less decided form than those
of the coins. Many of them are of course easily distinguishable ; but
there are others which bear no resemblance whatever to any of the let-
ters found on the coins; and yet they can scarcely be new characters,
as I believe that I have found the Ariano-Pali equivalent for every let-
ter of the Sanskrit alphabet. Some of them may be new forms of
known characters, and others are no doubt compound letters which may
1845. ] Unpublished Coins of the Indo-Scythians. 431
possibly baffle us for along time. The chief difficulty, however, lies in
the loose and cursive manner of the writing, in which many letters of
similar forms are represented by characters of the same shape.
In the present short inscription the only doubtful letters are in the
lower line. The upper line reads simply Gomangasa, “ of the anointed
body (or limb),” from wha gom, to anoint, and =aypgy angga, the body
(or a member of it). In the lower line the first letter on the right is cer-
tainly k, (I write with two electro-type facsimiles of the original lying
before me) ; the second looks more like m than any other letter; the
third is¢; the fourth is ¢u or to, according to my alphabet; and the
last is clearly s: thus forming kanatatusa, which is the Pali form of
the Sanskrit kanyatratrasa, ‘“‘ the supporter or cherisher of maidens.”
The whole inscription is therefore Gomangasa kanatatusa, ‘‘ (Stupa or
Tope) of the anointed body of Kanyatratra.”’
The gold coins extracted from this Tope by General Ventura declare,
in my opinion, most unquestionably, the age of the monument, They
belong to OHPKI or Hoerki, whom I identify with Hushka, a Tartar
sovereign of Kashmir just before the beginning of the Christian era,
In General Court’s inscription the Tartar prince Kanishka is mentioned
with the title of Maharaja; and this title is also found in a second
cylinder inscription. From these instances I infer, that when a tope
was erected over a royal personage, his royal titles were inserted; and
that in the absence of any title, we may judge that the tope was built
over either a relic of Buddha, or the ashes of some eminent follower.
Bhagawa himself particularly mentions the merits to be acquired from
building thupa (topes) over relics of Sawaka or Chakkawati Rajas. In the
present instance therefore I believe that the great Manikyala tope was
built over a Sawaka (Sanskrit Srawaka) or lay votary of Buddha, named
Kanyatratra; and that General Court’s smaller tope was built over the
relics of Kanishka himself.
I can find no authority for the erection of topes over the relics of the
Buddhist priesthood, although we possess the names of no less than
twenty-seven of the chief priests or patriarchs of the Buddhists, from the
death of Sakya Sinha to a. p. 499. I find that in B. c. 62 to 28, the
patriarch of Western India was named Kia-na-shi-pho, probably Kanya-
sibha, ‘* the praiser of maidens.” ‘There is some similarity between this
name and that of Kanyatratra, ‘‘ the cherisher of.maidens ;”’ but in the
432 Notice of some Unpublished Coins [No. 162.
absence of all authority showing that stupas were erected over the priest-
hood, it is impossible to insist upon the identity of the two persons.
In support of the values which I have given to two of the letters in
this inscription, I must refer to other inscriptions in which these letters
are found. The first of them, which I have read as @ ng, in Goman-
gasa, occurs in Ventura’s Manikyala cylinder inscription, in what is
most likely the name of the father of Kanyatratra. That inscription I
read as follows:
Swati-Siri- Munipasa- Gangaphuka- Munipa-putasa.
Swati Siri is the Sanskrit Swasti Sri, an auspicious invocation of very
common occurrence in the beginning of inscriptions even at the present
day. Muni is a holy personage, with the affix of pa, usually given to
holy men; for instance Gwali, after whom Gwali awara (Gwalior) is
named, is invariably called Gwalipa. Gangaphuka means “ the bird of
the Ganges ;’’ and the whole legend is ‘*‘ All hail! (Tope) of the Muni,
the son of Gangaphuka Muni.” This of course refers to Kanyatratra
Muni; and indeed the very name of Manikiyala points to the same
conclusion; Muni-ka-alaya being ‘the place of the Muni.”* Another
Muni is mentioned in Court’s Manikyala inscription as well as the Ma-
haraja Kanishka.
The same letter occurs again in the legends of the Kozola-Kadaphes,
and Kozonlo-Kadphizes coins. ‘The native legends of these coins are,
with one or two slight variations, identical. ‘That of Kozola-Kadaphes
which has on the Greek side ZAOOY KOZOAA KAAA®EL
XOPANCY, reads
Khushangasa Yatugasa Kujula Kasasa, &c.
that of Kozonlo-Kadphizes, which has on the Greek side KOZUYAO
KAA®IZOY KOPC or KOPF EO, reads
Kushangasa Yatugasa Kuwjula Kasasa, &c.
which I interpret as “ (Coin) of the king of the Kuei-shang, Kozola-Kada-
phes.” We know that the Kuei-shang were one of the five tribes of the
Great Yu-chi, which tribe I identify with the Asiani, one of the people
* Another derivation may be from Mani, a gem : Mani-ki-alaya, ‘‘ the place or re-
ceptacle of the gem or relic,”’
1845. ] of the Indo- Seythians. 433
that overthrew the Bactrian Greek kingdom. ZAOOC, I suppose to be
only the Greek rendering of the Zend khshathra, king, of which we pos-
sess no less than four other readings, namely : Eivaronc, Svaptne,
Saorne, and = alone: the last of which is almost the same as the
ZAQO2d of our coins. The Kuei-shang tribe occupied a city to the south
of So-mo-ki-an, or Samarkand, called Kuei-shwang-na, which name is
still preserved in the modern Kesh, the birth-place of Timur. It is
called Kashéniyah by Abulfeda.
Another tribe of the Great Yuchi were the Shwang-mi, who occupied
the country called Shang-mi to the south of Wakhan and of the Great
Mountains, which must be the modern Chitral and Mastuj.
A third tribe, the Hieu-mi, occupied the country on the Upper Oxus,
or Wakhan. They gave their. name to their capital, which was called
Ho-mé; and from them, I believe, the river Oxus to have taken its name
of Amu, because it rose in the country of the Hieu-mi. The Shakh
river gave its name to Shakhnan, and the Waksh or Wakh river gave
its name to Wakhan. Waksh, or Oksh yrss must have been the name
from which the Greeks made Oxus.
The Hieu-mi tribe had at least one powerful monarch in the second
Kadphises, who is called QOOHMO on all his coins ; a name which the
French Savans MM. R. Rochette and Jacquet curiously divided, giving
one-half to Kadphises, whom they called Mokadphises, and leaving the
other half to stand upon its own responsibility.
The character which I have read as ¢wu or to occurs in the legend of the
coins of this Kadphises, which I read somewhat differently from Mr.
Prinsep, he having been misled by giving an erroneous value to the letter
g.* which he read as ph. The whole legend, according to my alphabet,
is, ‘ Maharajasa Rajadirajasa Sabatugahi-Surasa Mahi-Surasa Hima Ka-
* It is now nearly four years since I corrected this error from the legends of the
coins of Gondophares, and his nephew Abdagases. On the coins of the latter the Greek
legend is BASIA YASIA YNAI®EPLU AAEA®IAELIS, and the
native legend is ‘‘ Maharajasa tadarasa Abdagasasa Gondophara bhata-putasa,’’
‘*(Coin) of the great King, the preserver, Abdagases, Gondophara’s-brother’s-son.”’
Here we have bhata-puta, the literal translation of the Greek ANKA®IAELUS.
The Kashmiris still say Bhai-putr. The letter g occurs also in the native transcript
of the Greek Zrparnyoc which is rendered in Pali Thategasa. The whole legend
is ‘‘ Aspavatisa Thategasa jayatasa Indavatiputasa,’’ ‘‘ (Coin) of the General Aspa-
bates, the victorious, the son of Indrabates.’’ Aspabates was the General of Azas. His
coins are found in the Western Panjab.
30
434 Notice of some Unpublished Coins [No. 162.
phisasa Tatasa, ‘“‘ (Coin) of the great King, the ‘“ King of kings, the
every-where-destroying-hero, the hero-.of-the-world, (of the tribe of)
Hieu-mi, Kapruiszs, the preserver.” On one well preserved coin the
letter hi is omitted in the middle of the inscription, which, if intentional,
simplifies the third title to ‘ Sabatoga-Surasa,’ “ the all-pervading hero.”
Sabatu is the regular Pali-form of the Sanscrit Sarvvatra, everywhere,
in all places.
The coins which I am now about to describe, with the single excep-
tion of No. 4, have all been in my own possession. My gold coins havé
passed into the hands of Sir Herbert Maddock ; but I still retain perfect
impressions of them both in lead and sealing-wax. Figs. 2, 3 and 4
are unique; fig. 5 is not uncommon; but finely preserved specimens,
such as the one now published, are extremely rare. Fig. 6 is unique.
Of Fig. 7, I have seen only three specimens ; one of smaller size in Mr.
James Prinsep’s cabinet; a specimen in my own possession from the
Kabul valley ; and the coin now published, which was amongst those ex-
tracted by General Ventura from the Manikyala Tope, and is now in my
cabinet. Fig. 8, is common; but good specimens are very rare. Figs.
9, 10 and 11 are all rare: the last is the rarest, and the first the least rare,
No. 2.—A round gold coin, weighing 122 grains, of very good make,
and in excellent order.
Obverse. Half length figure of the king inclined to the left ; the head
encircled by a halo, and dressed in a highly ornamented tiara : flames issue
from his shoulders; his left hand grasps a sceptre, and in his upraised
right hand he holds before him a cylindrical object by a handle below.
His dress consists of an under robe fastened down the middle, and an
upper garment open in front, with loose sleeves, and adorned with
necklaces and armlets. Inscription around the piece in barbarous
Greek characters PAO NANO PAO O (npx:) KOPANO, «The
King of kings, Horrx1, Koran.”
Reverse. A full length winged female figure, dressed in an upper gar-
ment with short sleeves, and in a long under robe reaching to her feet :
she carries a trident, or perhaps an elongated cornucopia in her left
hand, and in her right she holds out a chaplet. In the field to the
right is the usual. monograph of the Indo-Scythian coins; and to the
left in bad Greek characters the lerend CAMI (or OANI) MAO;
the whole ornamented by a dotted circle.
1845. | of the Indo- Scythians. 435
The figure on the reverse of this piece is very like that of Victory on
the coins of Menander, Azas, and Undopherras ; and it has also a strik-
ing resemblance to the Ardokro, depicted in No. 10 of the accompany-
ing plate. But the legend appears to be Vami Mao, which, if intended
for the Sanscrit TAHT, Vama, a woman, may be translated as “ the
female Moon,” or Chandri, the consort of Surya or the Sun. For the
Moon is an Androgyal deity ; being male or the god Chandra, when in
opposition to the Sun, and becoming female or the goddess Chandri,
when in conjunction with the Sun. If the legend should be Vani Mao,
the interpretation will then perhaps denote some identification of the
Moon with the goddess Saraswati, who as ajay, Vani, was the goddess
of Science and Learning, and who, as the consort of the Sun, became the
mother of the river Jumna. aqet, Vahni, fire, can scarcely be coupled
with Mao, the Moon.
No. 3.—A round gold coin, weighing 125 grains, of good make, and
in fair order.
Obverse. Essentially the same as that of the coin just described, ex-
cepting that the left hand of the king is apparently empty, and that the
ends of a diadem are seen floating behind his head, Legend in bad
Greek characters, almost illegible from faulty striking, but probably the
same as the last.
Reverse. “A full length male figure to the left, clothed in a long sleev-
ed dress, with a loose robe flowing behind ; the head surrounded by a
radiated halo ; the right arm extended tothe right, and the left hand
resting on the hip. In the field to the left the common Indo-Scythian
monograph ; and to the right in bad Greek letters the legend OM
BOA, or perhaps OAI BOA $§ either Aum Buddha, or Adi: Buddha ;
the BOA being most probably a contraction of BOAYA2, which
was one of the several Greek renderings of the name of Buddha.
On both of these coins, the instrument, which the prince holds in his
right hand, resembles exactly the praying cylinder which is used by all
Lamas of the present day. It is called Muni by the Bhotias, and Skoru |
by the Tibetans. I have one now lying before me, which I procured
from a Lama near Triloknath on the Chandrabhaga river. It is a thin
cylinder of brass, three inches long, and two inches and a half in diame-
ter, filled with along paper roll of writing, which, I was told, contained
only prayers. By a gentle motion of the hand it is kept continually re-
436 Notice of some Unpublished Coins [No. 162.
volving upon its axis, which, being prolonged below, forms the handle of
the instrument. The motion is assisted and regulated by a small octa-
gonal piece of iron fastened by a short chain to the side of the cylinder.
Moorcroft saw one of these mechanical prayer-mills, of a large size,
turned by water, which probably performed the prayers of a whole
village, while the inhabitants were at work in their fields. Every Lama
carries a Skoru or Muni ; and if these Indo-Scythian kings had spiri-
tual as well as temporal authority, as the flames issuing from their
shoulders would seem to show, (Mahawanso, p. 27,) no instrument could
be more appropriately put in their hands than the praying cylinder.
A common expression in Buddhist writings is ‘‘ turning the wheel
of the law ;” and in the 7th volume of the Asiatic Society’s Journal,
p. 147, M. Csoma states, on Buddhistical authority, that the 8th general
principle for the conduct of a zealous Buddhist is ‘to exhort all
Buddhas to turn the ‘ wheel of religion.’”’ Now I would suggest that
this ‘wheel of the law,” or ‘‘ wheel of religion,” (dharmma-chakra)
may be only the praying cylinder; and that to turn the wheel of the
law meant literally to turn the prayer cylinder; and figuratively to
make religion advance. This interpretation, which would prove, be-
yond all doubt, that these princes were of the Buddhist religion, is I
think fully borne out by the Buddhistical version which I have given to
the reverse legend of No. 3, and by the Buddhistical figures and legends
on the reverses of Nos. 6 and 7. .
No. 4.—A round gold coin, of beautiful make, and in excellent pre-
servation. This piece belonged to the collection of my much lamented
friend, the late Dr. Lord; and it is now, I believe, in the museum of the
East India House.
Obverse. A full length male figure to the left, apparently dressed
in a complete suit of chain armor; the head encircled by a halo, and
covered by a helmet, having long flaps which protect the ears ;— the
left hand raised and holding a trident, and the right hand pointing
downwards to an undecided object, which may probably be only a cy-
_ linder similar to those found in the Topes ; or it may be a small Stupa
itself, as it is surmounted by a trident. In either case it would be an
object held sacred as containing a relic of Buddha. Legend in bad Greek
characters around the piece PAO NANO PAO BAAANO KO-
PANO, «The King of kings, Batanus (or Baua,) Koran.
1845. | of the Indo- Scythians. 437
Reverse. A three-headed full length figure to the right, standing
before a bull, which has a bell hanging from its neck ; the figure clad in
the Indian dhoti, and wearing the sacred string of the superior castes ;
and holding out in his three hands, three different objects, one of which
looks like a noose. The Indo-Scythian monograph over the bull’s
head; and to the left in bad Greek letters the word OKPO, which
Professor Lassen has happily explained by Ugra, one of the many
names of Siva: the whole surrounded by a dotted circle.
This figure is, I believe, the personification of Siva, under his triple
form ; the same in which he is sculptured in the caves of Elephanta and
Ellora ; one head representing the destroying power, and the other heads
the two creative powers, male and female, or Siva and Parvati, behind
whom stands the sacred bull Nandi. On the coin before us there are
but three arms; although the triple headed busts of Siva have six arms :
the other three arms have been omitted merely from want of space.
On this coin we have an entirely new name added to our Indo-Scy-
thian list. In the annexed sketch it is but faintly traceable, as the
lithographer has failed in faithfully representing my sketch: but I may
mention that the first two letters are distinctly BA 5 the third is A
or A, and the last three are ANO or perhaps AMO: thus forming
either BAAANO or BAAANO. That the former is the true read-
ing is, I think, almost confirmed by the following fact. The author of
the Raja Tarangini in mentioning the cause of quarrel between the Raja
Hiranya, and his younger brother Toramana, the Yuva Raja, states that
Toramana, having melted down the ancient coin of the country called
Balahats, framed Dinars in his own name. Now Bala-hat means
9?
simply ‘‘ the mintage of Bala,’’ who must therefore have been a former
ruler of Kashmir; and was most probably this very Balan, whose name
we have just discovered for the first time uponacoin. For I contend that
Balan or Balano or Balanus, who is clearly from the make of his coin of
the same family as Kanerki, was equally with him a king of Kashmir, and
perhaps prior even to Kanerki; as this single coin is decidedly superior
in execution to that of many of the Kanerki coins which I have seen. But
Mr. Prinsep’s engravings of the Kanerki gold coins exhibit several pieces
of apparently the same beauty of workmanship ; and therefore 1 shall
be content for the present with ranging Balan in the series of Indo-Scy-
thian princes immediately following Kanerki.
438 Notice of some Unpublished Coins LNo. 162.
No. 5.—A round copper coin, of large size, of beautiful make, and in
more perfect preservation than any other Indo-Scythian copper coin
that I have seen.
Obverse. Full length figure of the king to the left, bearded; his
head covered with a curious cap having a brim or peak to the front ;
and the ends of a diadem floating behind. He is dressed in a long coat,
under which his trousers appear, and over which a loose robe falls be-
hind in circular folds. His left hand grasps a spear or trident, and his
right hand is pointed downwards over the same object which is seen
on the obverse of No. 4. Legend in corrupted Greek characters :
PAO KANHPKI], «king Kayerxt.”
Reverse. A radiated and bearded figure, running quickly to the left ;
dressed only in a pair of very short tight drawers, and holding up with
both hands a large loose robe or cloak, which falls in circular folds
behind him. To the left is the Indo-Scythian monograph; and to the
right in bad Greek characters the word OAAO 3 which Professor
Lassen was the first to explain very happily by Vado; Sanskrit Vata,
Zend Vato, and modern Persian Bad, or ‘‘ the wind ;” which is repre-
sented running more or less quickly on different coins. The coins of
this type in copper are of three sizes; large, middle, and small.
No. 6.—A round copper coin, of large size, and uncommon thickness ;
of very good make, and in tolerable preservation.
Obverse. Exactly the same as the preceding.
Reverse. A figure seated in the Oriental fashion ; the hair dressed
in a knot on the top of the head, which is encircled by a halo formed
of dots; the ears either elongated after the manner of Buddhist sculp-
tures, or adorned with jewels; the left hand resting upon the feet, and
the right hand, with fingers extended, placed opposite the breast, in a
manner peculiar to Buddhist figures, and more particularly to Amogha
Siddha, one of the five celestial Buddhas. Amogha Siddha is also a
title of Adi Buddha himself. Monograph to the left: and legend
around the piece in corrupted Greek characters, O BOAA CAM;
which I think may be intended for OM BOAA CAMANA or Aum
Buddha Sramana. 1 do not by any means insist upon the correctness of
this reading ; but it is a highly probable one, from its being placed
around an eminently characteristic Bauddha figure.
1845. ] of the Indo- Scythians. 439
No. 7.—A round copper coin, of large size, thickly coated with indu-
rated verdigris. This piece is one of those extracted by General Ven-
tura from the Manikyala Tope, and which I obtained in exchange from
Mr. Prinsep.
Odverse. Similar to Nos. 5 and 6.
Reverse. A full length figure standing to the front, and clad in
a long dress: the head surrounded by a circular halo; and the hands
raised together before the breast in an attitude, which is peculiar to the
figures of Samant Bhadra, the first of the celestial Bodhisatwas. Samant
Bhadra is also one of the names of Adi Buddha, (see Hodgson’s Trans.
R. A. Soc. 2, p. 239.) The monograph to the left: and legend in cor-
rupted Greek characters, W O AAO BOA CAMA .....-.- A
similar copper coin, of middle size, is figured in the Asiatic Society’s Jour-
nal, (vol. 3, pl. 25, fig. 11,) on which the legend, as given by Mr. Prinsep,
is OAYO BOY CAKANA. By a comparison of the two legends,
I am inclined to read them either as Aum Adi Buddha Sramana, or sim-
ply as Adi Buddha Sramana. The first letter, which Prinsep read as O,
has on this coin a turn to the left, which identifies it with the peculiar
flourish, which is found at the commencement of many ancient inscrip-
tions, and which is generally allowed to stand for the sacred unuttera-
ble syllable Aum. Of the letters to the left, the first four only are pre-
served upon the present coin: but they agree generally with those on
Mr. Prinsep’s engraved specimen. The first letter on both is C, and
not A, as Professor Lassen has made it with some hesitation, and the
last two letters on Mr. Prinsep’s coin are NA: consequently we have
altogether CAMANA for Sramana, ‘an ascetic,’ which is a common
appellation of Buddha, and was well known to the Greeks as ZAP-
MANO or SEMNOS.
No. 8.—A round copper coin, of large size, of good make, and in good
order.
Obverse. A male figure mounted on an elephant, moving to the right.
Legend in corrupt Greek characters around the piece, PAO (vavo) PAO
KENOPANO « the King of kings, Krnorano.”
Reverse. A full length male figure, dressed in flowing garments ; with
the right hand raised, and the left hand resting on the hip. Behind his
shoulders a large lunar crescent. Legend to the right, MAO < the
Moon’; and to the left the usual Indo-Scythian monograph.
440 Notice of some Unpublished Coins LNo. 162.
No. 9.—A round copper coin, of middle size, of good make, and in
good order.
Obverse. 'The same as No. 8.
Reverse. A full length female figure to the right, clad in a long robe, with
a short tunic reaching to the waist ; the left hand supporting a cornucopia,
and the right resting on the hip; the head covered, and surrounded by
a halo. Corrupt Greek legend to the left, APAO XPO $ to the right,
the usual Indo-Scythian monograph.
No. 10.—Essentially the same as the preceding; but the figure is
looking to the left, and holding out a wreath in the out-stretched right
hand.
No. 11.—Precisely the same as No. 9: but the figure faces to the left.
The title of KOPANO on these Indo-Scythian coins, which follows
the names of Kapapues, Ozrx1 and Kanerk1, has not yet been satisfac-
torily explained. It certainly cannot mean king, as we have Zatlos on
the coins of Kadaphes, and Rao-Nano- Rao on the coins of his successors.
In a paper on the coinage of Kashmir published in the Numismatic Chro-
nicle of London in 1848, I suggested that it was derived from the Greek
KOPQNIS, with curling horns; and that the Arabic Zul-karnain
pointed to that derivation. In this sense Koran would mean Alexander
the Great; and the Princes who take that title would claim descent
from Zul-karnain. XOPAN CV and KOPCO might then stand for
KOPANov zy yyevoue, “ the kinsman of Koran ;” and this interpre-—
tation offers a plausible reading for the Greek legend of the earlier coins
of Kozonlo Kadphizes, on which we find BAZIAEQ> ZTHPOZ
ZY EPMAIOY, which I interpret as “‘ (Coin) of the king, the preser-
ver (Kadphizes) the kinsman of Hermeus.” I have since found that the
Mogul author Sanangsetzen declares, that the Tartar prince Kanikia
bore the title of Prince of Mercy. It is probable therefore that Kanishka’s
title of Korano is derived from the Sanscrit karuna, mercy. This
however still leaves unexplained the letters following Koran on the coins
of Kadaphes and Kadphizes. On the former the title is XOPAN €V
(and not XOPANOY as usually given). On the latter, it is KOPCO.
The happy conjecture made by Mr. James Prinsep in 1833, that the
Kanerxi of the coins was the great Buddhist Prince Kanisuxa of
Kashmir, has been amply confirmed by the Bauddha figures, emblems,
and legends on the coins which I have just described. The Honorable
Indo -Seytiue Co L7US, Plate 2.
KANERKA 3
i
YQoo~s
/
NEN
ay S
A. Cunningham , del.
‘we wTCRY ies
a Pe
ry ‘eo’
Ne
rr.
1845. ] of the Indo-Scythians. 441
Mr. Turnour also identified them in 1836. In 1838, Professor Lassen
did not object to the identification of the names of Kanerki and Ka-
nishka ; nor even to that of Oerki (or Huirki) and Hushka: but he added
‘‘ besides the difficulties in chronology another reason from the coins
themselves is opposed to our recognizing Hushka and Kanishka in
Oerki and Kanerki. Both of them are described as Buddhists; upon
the coins of the latter however a worship, entirely deviating from that
of the Buddhists, is distinctly obvious.”
The difficulties in chronology have, I think, been satisfactorily accom-
modated in my paper on the coinage of Kashmir already mentioned,
in which I showed that the Tartar prince Kanishka, according to both
Brahmanical and Buddhistical authorities, flourished at the beginning of
the Christian era; agreeing with the age of the smaller Manikyala Tope
opened by General Court. In that ‘Tope there was found a long inscrip-
tion of Maharaja Kanisuxa, accompanied with four gold coins of Ka-
NERKI, and seven Roman silver coins ranging in date from B. c. 73 to 33.
The copper coins belonged to Kanerki himself, and to his immediate
predecessors Kadaphes of the Kuei-shang tribe, and Kadphises of the
Hieu-mi tribe. The Tope must have been erected posterior to B. c. 33,
and most probably after the death of Kanishka in about a. p. 25.
The other difficulty has been successfully removed by the discovery
of the coins now published, which bear eminently characteristic Baud-
dha figures, emblems, and inscriptions. On the golden bust coins we
see the Prince himself represented with a halo round his head; with
flames issuing from his shoulders, as sculptured on the figure of Buddha
discovered by Dr. Gerard, (J. A. 8. Bengal, vol, 3, pl. 26, fig. 1,) and
with the prayer-cylinder (or dharmma-chakra) in his right hand; the
identical instrument which is in the hand of every Lama of the present
day. ;
The knowledge of this fact, of the identity of the religion of these
two princes, we owe chiefly to the science of Numismatology ; and the
numismatist may proudly point to it as one of the many useful rays
which the beacon of his favorite study has thrown over the treacherous
quicksands of history. So true are the words of the poet,
The medal, faithful to its charge of fame,
Through climes and ages bears each Prince’s name.
442
On Kunker formations, with Specimens. By Captain J. Asgort, B.A.
I have the pleasure to send you a few specimens of Kunker, collected
by me in my late journey down the Ganges. _I had purposed bringing
away a small section of a Kunker formation, showing the substance
in which it is imbedded and the strata immediately above and beneath ;
but I was travelling in too great haste for this. ‘The accompanying
specimens, however, exhibit nearly every species of Kunker the matrix
of one, and its calx after the extraction of the lime by fire.
I have been so separated from scientific literature for many years
past, that I know not what may be the existing theories of the forma-
tion of this mineral ; and in offering the following am prepared to find
myself forestalled if, indeed, the theory is well founded.
The word Kunker, in its general application, like our own term gravel,
ig applied by the natives to any small or rounded masses of stone,
whatever their substance, but it includes especially every variety of the
limestone under consideration. ‘This is found in several forms in the
wide plains of Upper and Central India. Not I think in Afghanistan
nor Persia, nor any where beyond the influence of the periodical rains. It
occurs only in mixed strata of sand and clay, which on analysis prove
to be impregnated with lime, and its presence is generally denoted by
the sterility of the soil above it.
Its position from the surface of the soil varies from ten to fifty feet
or more. But although, through the erosion of the upper stratum (as
for instance in the neighbourhood of large rivers) it may sometimes be
found at the surface, it is never there formed or deposited originally.
Its forms are,—
lst. Small rounded drops, from the size of a pea to that of a bullet,
in a matrix of clay and sand often of great depth, but seldom separat-
ed into distinct homogeneous strata.
2ndly. In distinct strata of larger masses, from the size of a small
potato to that of a man’s foot; with a matrix of clay, or of clay and
sand mixed. Insuch cases the clay and sand strata are generally distinct.
3rdly. In what is improperly termed stratified Kunker, but which I
take the liberty to name confluent Kunker, (almost all Kunker occurring
in strata.) In this form it presents extensive fields, from one to five
feet in thickness, generally very rugged and porous, but occasionally se-
parable into compact masses of a hundred solid feet or more.
1845. ] On Kunker formations, with Specimens. 443
On considering the shapes of the granulated masses, they will be
found to resemble thé figures assumed by molten lead when plunged into
water, The substance appears to be generally clay and carbonate of
lime : the latter falling away freely under the action of the furnace, and
leaving the clay in the form of a hardened mass more or less vitrified.
The formation of Kunker appears to me to be affected by the infiltra-
tion of rain water impregnated with lime through a bed of clay; to be
in fact Tufa deposited in clay, or a sponge of clay saturated with the
carbonate of lime.
When the heavy rains of the monsoon fall upon a soil of alternate
sand and clay strata impregnated with lime, the water easily soaks
through the loose texture of the gneiss sand, taking up with it a cer-
tain proportion of the lime in its passage. But on meeting the closer
substance of the clay stratum it there stagnates for a while, and each of
these clay strata becomes as it were the bottom of a subterranean lake,
the absorption here being very gradual and difficult, and the water
parting with its lime to the clay, ere it can be effected.
When the lime is contained by the soil in large quantity, and the
clay stratum is dense or the duration of the deposit very long, conflu-
ent Kunker will be formed ; chiefly in the sandy stratum, but upon that
of the clay: and should (if this surmise be just,) contain a larger pro-
portion of sand than the granulated varieties.
When lime prevails in mixed soils of clay and sand, not distinctly
stratified, the Kunker is found in very small grains dispersed confusedly
through the mass. These seem to be formed by isolated drops of water
impregnated with lime, which gradually filtering have deposited each a
nucleus of lime, that yearly enlarges by fresh incrustations ; but very
gradually, owing to there being no general arrest of the impregnated
water. This minute Kunker forms the sand (so to speak,) of many of
the streams of Central India.
Kunker yields almost the only lime used in Upper India by builders.
The quality yielded by various strata is very various: often it is ex-
cellent, but never perhaps equal to that of the more solid limestones,
or of the superficial Tufa deposited by streams.
It may appear improbable to some, that rain water should so readily
absorb lime, or so easily part with it; but it is perfectly consistent with
observed phenomena. In Malwa where the substratum for 1500 feet is
444 On Kunker formations, with Specimens. [No. 162.
trap, and no limestones are known, the springs are so impregnated with
lime, taken up in their passage through the clay stratum, as to frost
the glass of the windows splashed in moistening tatties. This frost
work is as complete as that produced by fluoric acid. The smaller
streams exhibit the same impregnation; and wherever they fall over a
precipice, huge masses of Tufa are deposited by them on the yearly
growth of lichens upon the brink.
I have seen many such masses of several hundred tons weight, and
one of these, torn from the precipice apparently by its own gravity,
was quarried for many years for the supply of the finer lime used at
Mhow in Malwa, and is yet I believe unexhausted.
The obstructions of the human viscera so common in Malwa and
Nimaur, I attribute to the action of the lime thus held in solution
by the water. Tufa water is a well known poison in Italy. It saps the
digestion, and causes gradual decay without any perceptible violence.
The Italians observing this, fancy that it petrifies the vitals.
But one of the most remarkable examples of the action of water upon |
lime is observable in the mausoleum of Hoshungh Shah Ghorie, in
Maandoo, Malwa. This building is faced within and without witha
coarse granulated limestone from the Nerbudda, passing current in those
parts for marble. From long neglect, Peepul and Dhamun trees have
penetrated with their finer roots the substance of the dome, so that
water filters through copiously during the monsoon, and, being preserved
ip small cavities, continues to drop down, long afterwards. This water
in its passage through the mortar of the roof, takes up a certain quantity
of lime, which it again deposits in the interior lining of the dome in long
stalactitic pendants.
This fact was observed in the days of Ferishta the historian, for he says
regarding it, (I quote from memory)—‘“‘ People who are rather devout
than learned, think that the very marble weeps above the tomb of Ho-
shungh Shah. But we, who are above such puerilities, easily compre-
hend, how wind penetrating into the substance of the stone becomes
there condensed into water.”
4, Harrington Street, 13th March, 1845. J. ABBorr,
Norg.—The large masses are from confluent strata, below Allahabad. These strata
from three to five feet thick are encrusted above with such large loose masses as these.
One, however, is part of a slab of confluent Kunker, broken by mee—J. A.
445
An account of the Early Abdalees. By Major R. Lexcu, C.B., Late
Political Agent, Candahar.
PREFACE.
In Nyamatulla’s History of the Afghans, by Dorn, Avdal the son of
Tareen, the son of Sharkhbun, the son of Sarbanni, the son of Pathan,
is said to have had two brothers, Toor and Aspin; and three sons, Barik,
Popal and Ali. Dorn in a note (38) on the authority of the Khulassat
Ulansat, however, gives Abdal two sons, Firak* and Isa. Firak had three
sons, Popal, Barek and Alekko ;f and Isa had five sons, Alizye,{ Turzye,
(Noorzye of Elphinstone,) Ishakzye, Makoo and Khogani, which latter
are called collectively Panjpai.§
Again Malcolm, in his History of Persia, on the authority of a native
historian of no note, apparently a Barikzye writing for Persian readers,
attributes the rise of Sado,|| the progenitor of the royal house of the
Sadozyes, to the favor of a king of Persia, Shah Abbas the Great,
(entitled by the Persians the Beatified{[) obtained on a visit to the
Persian court to complain of the tyranny and extortions exercised and
committed by a Persian Governor of Western Afghanistan. When
about to return to his native land, the king conferred on him the title
and privileges of a ‘“‘ Speen Jeerak” (white beard,) over the Afghans,
including the power of life and death over them all, with the exception
of the Barikzyes, and declared his person and the persons of his de-
scendants sacred.**
It is even related by the Persians how Sado served for some time in
the disguise of a groom in the royal stables ; and having been promoted
to the charge of one of the king’s favorite horses, how he attracted the
* Known to the Afghans as Zeerak, as are the descendants of his three sons.
t His tomb is said to be at Neecharah in Beelochistan.
{ Alizye is not the name of the son, which is Ali, but of his descendants ; Zye
being the Persian corruption of Zo’e, which in Pushtoo means a son.
§ Panjpai, though literally meaning five feet or five supports, is often applied to more
than five subdivisions of a tribe.
|| Sado is still a common name among the Afghans.
4] Jannat Makan.
** Which they continued to be until the murder of Shah Shuja-ul-Mulk at Cabool,
in April 1842.
446 ‘ An account of the Early Abdalees. [No. 162.
notice of Majesty by the striking effects of his assiduity in groom-
ing.
Finally, in the History of India, Shah, an Abdalee Governor of Herat,
is mentioned; and as these three items compose all the information
which to my knowledge is possessed at the present day of the Early Ab-
dalees, the following few pages have been compiled to supply much
that is deficient, chiefly from a manuscript procured in Afghanistan, a
second copy of which I never met with, and partly from accounts writ-
ten at my request, and from enquiries made from time to time during a
continued residence of five years in Afghanistan.
As the information now furnished was not possessed by the late Shah
Shuja, I am in hopes it may not elsewhere be considered stale.
The following few prefatory ‘‘ Remarks on the Origin of the Afghans,”
will not perhaps be thought misplaced, coming next and before treating
of the Abdalees.
Much has been written on the descent of the Afghans. They believe
themselves to be descended from king Saul. ‘There are some circum-
stances against, and some in favour, of this belief.
Those against, are—
Ist. They have among their predecessors no Jewish names except
that of Kais, the Kish of Scripture (1 Samuel, chap. ix. verse 1,) who
was according to some the first Afghan who believed in Mahommed,
and in consequence received the title of Abdu Rasheed; the Jewish
names now common among them: being gleaned from the Kuran.
2nd. They have no vestige of the festival of Purim instituted by
Esther, (chap. ix. verse 28.)
Those in favour, are—
Ist. Contrary to the precepts of the Kuran, they do not permit a
widow to marry any but the heirs of her husband, and the Jews did not
allow a virgin to marry out of the tribe, (Numbers, chap. xxxvi.
verse 8,) or a widow any but first her brother-in-law, (Deuteronomy,
chap. xxv. verse 5). The heir however among the Afghans, in case
of his not proposing for the widow, is not reduced to the alternative
described in the 9th verse of the same chapter.
2nd. ‘They do not allow daughters a portion of inheritance with the
sons. Likewise did not the Jews at one time, if we judge by inference
from Numbers, chap. xxvii, verse 8.
1845. | An account of the Early Aldalees. 447
They have a custom, alike repugnant to the Jewish as well as to the
- Mahommedan creed, common in Wales, where it is called ‘‘ bundling.”
The Afghans call it “‘ Namzad-bazee,”* or “ betrothal game.”
-Khaja Nyamatulla, in his History of the Afghans, says that David
swore to Saul, (1 Samuel, chap. xxiv. verses 21 and 22) that on Saul’s
death two of his wives were with child, one bare Berkia, and the
other Irmia. The son of Irmia was Afkana, and the son of Berkia,
Asif.
Sir W. Jones says, Saul had two sons, one called Berkia and the
other Irmia, who served David faithfully, and were beloved by him. Lhe
son of Berkia was called Afghan, and the son of Irmia, Usbee.
Neither of these accounts agrees with the Scripture. The name of
“ Elkanah” is the only one occurring in the Books of Samuel, Kings,
or Chronicles, in the least resembling Afghanah or Afkanah; and.
although it cannot by any Persian rule be corrupted from Elkanah, yet
we find the name Hul, (Genesis, chap. x. verse 32,) corrupted into the
Persian Hood.
Asaph (Asif,) the son of Berechiah (Berkia,) is mentioned; 1 Chroni-
cles, chap. iv. verse 17; and Berechiah and Elkanah in the 23rd verse
of the same chapter.
Berachah, Irmia (Jeremiah,) and Elkanah as connected with Saul, are
mentioned, 1 Chronicles, chap. xi. verses 3, 4 and 8.
If we look upon Kais as a progenitor of the Afghans, and suppose
that they increased in the same manner that the children of Israel did,
(viz. at the rate of 2,100 for every year,) and also allow Kais to have
lived in the time of Mahommed, then at the time that Elphinstone wrote,
the Afghans should have amounted to 2,500,000. Elphinstone esti-
mates them at 4,300,000. This would by the same calculation refer
the progenitor of the Afghans back to about the time of Alexander.
If again Afghan, a grandson of Saul, was their progenitor in Elphin-
stone’s time, by the same calculation they should have amounted to about
5,700,000, including the Afghans of Hindustan.
* This is allowed after the ‘‘Ijab kabool,’’ formerly asking in marriage and ac-
cepting before witnesses, but before the mika or marriage ceremony, being the blessing
of the Mulla. A settlement also being first fixed before the Mulla of the parish.
Sheer-bha or ‘price of milk,’’ is sometimes given to the mother of the daughter ifa
widow.
448 An account of the Early Abdalees. ~ [No. 162.
Among the descendants of Saul mentioned in the Scripture, as will
be seen from the following, no name occurs approaching Elkanah or
Afghanah,
Aphiah
|
Bechorath
[
Zeror
|
Abiel
coer snes St ::0206€0OOOO—
Kish Ner
| |
Saul, Abner.
ee ee ae eae ap La ee Ewe Ee es
Wife Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz.
Concubine Rizpah, daughter of Aiah, Sons
oe ORNL TES a ST, Sa
Daughter Michal, David’s wife, given to Melchisua,
Phalti the son of Laish. Ishui, Abinadab,
Daughter Merah, (husband Adriel Me- Jonathan, Mephibosheth, Micha,
holathite.) ; Ishbosheth.
Elopement also takes place among the Afghans, and the clan in
which the couple take refuge consider it a point of honor not to give
them up to the tribe of the father. Arbitrators adjudge seven girls to
be given in exchange, one actually mounted on horseback, and two others
are valued at 100 Candahar rupees each; half is paid in ready money,
and half in goods, a matchlock, a sword and a gonee or bag of grain,
being each calculated at a Tuman of twenty rupees.
They (many tribes) divide their lands according to ‘“ Orbale” or
fire-sides, and bachelors get nothing but their own zarkhureed or pur-
chased lands. The tribe of Shimalzai Ghiljyes say, that their tribe was
once so numerous, that by each man subscribing a bush of brushwood
(used for fire-wood,) a couple was set up in the tribe. This subscrip-
tion is called ‘‘ Baspand.”
On the 3rd November 1841, a widow, the daughter of Ashraf a Ba-
eezye Hotak, complained to me as political agent at Kalat-i-Ghiljye,
that her daughter had been engaged to one Ghafoor Bahlol-khel Julal-
gai Tokhee, a khoon-kash or bleeder by profession, for the last fourteen
years ; for the last eleven of which he had not been heard of, and was
therefore to be considered dead. She therefore wanted his heir (a bro-
ther) to dissolve the contract, take her himself off her hands to what was
now become her tribe, or support her while for a further period she
waited for her intended.
1845. ] An account of the Early Abdalees. 449
Tareen, the son of Sharkhboon (alias Sharafudeen,) the son of Sur-
bannee, the son of Kais (Kish Abdu Rasheed, and Pathan) is said to have
had three sons ; one, whose complexion was dark, he called Tor (black,)
another, whose complexion was fair, he named ’Speen (white,) and the
third, he called Abdal.
Abdal, pronounced Oudle by the Toran Ghiljyes, is the title of a
grade of Fakeers, vide Hasan Abdal, whose shrine is in Putwar (the
country between the Indus and Jhelum) in the Panjab. ‘The other
degrees being Ghous, Kutb, and Majzoob, or Kalandar.
Tor had four sons, Malmoonee, Gundaree, Sekee and Baboo, and some
say also a daughter, Kakee.
Malmoonee had two sons, Haroon and Alee.
’*Speen, the son of Tareen, had four sons, Dur, (Duver, Dabar) Sule-
man-lagh, Tam and Opchee, (Adhami).
Tor and ’Speen were of one mother, and Abdal of a separate one.
When Tareen was well advanced in years, Tor and ’Speen had grown
up, but Abdal was still a boy. One of Tareen’s wives one day observed
to him, that he had got old, and it was better that during his lifetime he
should nominate as his successor in the chiefship his most promising
son, and himself seek retirement, and pass his time in the service of God.
Of this, Tareen approved. Tor and ’Speen each hoped the lot would
fall on him, and their mother’s wishes were for Tor, her first-born.
_ *Speen was annoyed at this prospect, expressed his annoyance, and ad-
vanced his own claims. The mother of Abdal with great humility and
modesty brought forward her son’s claims, which were, that notwith-
standing his youth he possessed more noble qualities than either of his
brothers. Tor and ’Speen were both annoyed at this, and said, ‘‘ Our
young brother is no more fit to rule than our old father.” One day a
holy Sayad who had given up the world arrived, and Tareen referred
the choice to him, saying himself that he had a foreboding that Abdal
would be chosen. The Sayad after being some time absorbed in
thought raised his head, and after regarding all three, said—‘‘ The
third is the appointed chief; and although Tor will do everything to
oppose him, he shall not succeed; ‘Speen is no way entitled to
the chiefship.”” (That is, neither by primogeniture or promising
talents.)
The Sayad then told Tareen to confer the Dastar (turban) on his
youngest son, and the chiefship would remain for generations in his
3Q
450 An account of the Early Abdalees. [ No. 162.
house. He also told Tor and ’Speen, that it would be for their good to
obey Abdal.
-. © Tor made many protests and objections; ’Speen silently took his
leave. T'areen then placed the dastar on Abdal, and called for a blessing
on him. He at last grew up, and disclosed all the qualities his mother
and the Sayad had seen in promise. Tor and ’Speen were always called
Tareens, and their descendants are now found in the district of Pishing,
in the province of Candahar. Abdallived 105 years, and his descendants
were called after him ‘‘ Abdalees’ and not Tareens. He had two sons,
Razad and Suleman. ‘The Maghzan-ul-Afghanee says, one son called
Jeer, others say Eesa.
When Abdal was advanced in years he sent for his son Razad, and
appointed him his successor after giving him the following parting ad-
vice: ‘‘ Do not forget your God, and conduct your public and private
life accordingly. Treat with respect the tribe of Sarbannees, Sayads
and learned and devout men; support and provide for your relations,
and treat your subjects with kindness.” That is to say, have a fair speech
and a fat sheep for them, the grand secret of Afghan popularity.
Razad had three sons, Eesa, Alee and Ado, The first named was the
youngest, and the two elder lived the life of Dervishes. Razad before his
death appointed Eesa his successor, and his choice was confirmed by all
the Sarbannees. Razad lived to the age of 120 years, having seen his
descendants to the third generation.
Eesa had three sons, Meerak, Suleman alias Zeerak, (from his being
forward of his age), and Noor. Eesa on his death approaching, col-
lected, according to the custom of that time, the whole of his tribe
and descendants, and appointed Zeerak, although his second son, his
successor. Every one at once agreed but Meerak; who at last also
did, after his father assured him that his choice was guided in a
dream from heaven. Eesa lived 140 years. Zeerak had four sons,
Barak, Alaho, Mase and Popal.
When Zeerak reached the age of 120, he called his descendants and
tribe together, and requested their opinion regarding who ought to be
his successor. They all pointed to Barak, and his father accordingly
confirmed him, and he carried on the chiefship fifteen years during his
father’s life.
It was the custom of the tribe to change their encampment at dif-
ferent seasons, and every one was obliged to take his own baggage and
1845.] An account of the Eurly Abdalees. 451
property to the new ground. It so occurred that in one of these emigra-
tions, Zeerak who from old age had become quite decrepit, was left be-
hind.*
The four brothers, according to custom, returned to the old encamp-
_ ment to see that nothing was forgotten. News was brought that Zee-
rak had been left behind, being unable to move. Barak first arrived
where his father was lying. Turning his horse’s head towards him
without dismounting, he abused him, saying, ‘‘ Are you not dead
yet, that I may be no longer troubled with you?”
Alako then saw him, and said, ‘“‘ Oh son of Adam, would that you were
dead, and ceased to trouble us!” And then passed on, as had Barak.
Mase next came, and, seeing his father, dismounted, and ordered one of
his people to mount him on a horse and conduct him to the new en-
campment. Zeerak pleaded that he was unable to sit on a horse. Mase
in a passion gave the old man a kick, saying to his attendant, ‘‘ Let
the old brute lie there to be devoured by wild beasts and birds.”
At-last came Popal, who immediately dismounted, and, taking Zeerak’s
head on his lap, brushed the dirt off his venerable face, and shed tears, and
said, ‘‘ Would to God that I had never been born, that I should live to see
you, my father, in this plight.” He then lifted up his father with great
care, and, carrying him on his back, ordered his people to convey the
baggage on ahead, and he would follow with his sacred burden slowly
after. On arriving at the new encampment, he ordered suitable food to be
drest for his father. When the old man had eaten and was refreshed,
he expressed a wish to utter some prayers, to which he begged attention
should be paid.
First he said to Barak ;: ‘‘ Your fieldst will be many, but may you find
no favour with God.”
Regarding Alako he said: ‘‘ May you never be free from cares and
troubles.” ;
To Mase he said : “‘ May one of your houses fall as the other rises.”
To Popal he said: ‘“ Be your descendants always chiefs and never
servants, and may your foot never be out of the stirrup of wealth.”
* [ witnessed something similar myself in the Ghiljye country in General Nott’s ad-
vance on Ghuznee and Cabool. In a village that had been hurriedly deserted we
found nothing but a cripple.
t ‘* Bar,’’ breadth (of domain. )
{ “ Barkat,’’ luck, good fortune.
452 An account of the Early Abdalees. [No. 162.
He then said, ‘I have already given, with the advice of the tribe, the
chiefship to Barak, and it is no longer in my power, but theirs. But,”
(turning his eyes and stretching out his hands to heaven,) ‘‘ may the
descendants of Popal be always ‘ Raises,’ and may the descendants of
his brothers serve him.” He then told Popal to be of good cheer, that
the time was near at hand when he should become chief, and that the
Sayad who had interceded in the dispute of Tor and ’Speen had ap-
peared to him in a dream, and assured him Popal would be chief. After
blessing him, he lived five years.
Six months did-not elapse after the tribe had heard this blessing before
they left Barak, and gathered round Popal who became chief, and Zeerak
saw with his own eyes his prayers answered. Zeerak lived 89 years.
Popal became chief at 25 years of age. He was a very just and popu-
_ lar chief. In his time the descendants of Tareen mustered 30,000.
In a revolution among the tribe of Kakers, the chief sought refuge with
Popal, who with a force espoused his cause, reinstated his guest, and
took hostages from the Kakers. From which time the Kakers never
opposed the Popalzyes. He also took hostages from the Baloches and
the Hazarahs. He ruled 65 years, and had three sons, Habeeb, Aiyoob
and Bago. When his end was approaching, he assembled his tribe and
appointed Habeeb, his eldest son, his successor, who lived 52 years.
During Aiyoob’s lifetime he and his sons lived with Habeeb. On
his death, which took place before the other two, Bazo disputed with
Habeeb for his having all the descendants of Aiyoob. The tribe inter-
fered, and gave half to each.
Habeeb had four sons, Ismail, Hasan, Bame and Aboosaieed. The
two former were much older than the two latter.
The daughter of Bazo was engaged to Bame. On Habeeb feeling his
end approaching, he collected his tribe, and told them to nominate his
successor. Ismail and Hasan, both canvassed the tribe for votes, and
therefore both soon quarrelled. Bazo proposed Ismail, as being the
eldest. Hasan would not hear of it. Bazo then proposed Bame, and
proposed that he himself should act as regent during his minority. Ha-.
beeb agreed to this; Ismail and Aboosaieed would not agree, and sepa-
rated themselves from the tribe.
Bame was accordingly appointed chief at the age of 15. After which
Habeeb lived two years.
1845. | An account of the Early Abdalees. 453
Bame lived to the age of 72; and had three sons, Nasrat, Basahma
and Kane.
On Bame becoming aged, he neglected to nominate his successor as
was the custom ; the tribe therefore assembled, and demanded the reason.
In reply he said, ‘I really do not see among my sons one worthy ; but
if I confess this to the Tor and Speen Tareens, they will not allow the
chiefship to remain in the house of Abdal. Indeed I have heard from
the Tareens that they had no hope in my sons. I will therefore not
appoint a successor. I have also dreamt, that none of my sons will be
chiefs, but that a grandson, a son of Kane, will be. If on my death
any one of my sons be found with anything, he will get the chiefship
without any nomination of mine. According to the dream, so it occur-
red; the sons of Bame did not agree among themselves, and there were
separate small chiefs called ‘‘ Katkhudas,”* except in cases of blood or
large general tribe feuds, when they referred to Kane. He lived to the
age of 80; and had three sons, Bahlol, Zeenak and Bano. The tribe
was for some time much distracted in factions and petty feuds. At
last the chief men assembled, and decided, as there was no getting on
without a “ Rais” or “ Sardar,” they would appoint Bahlol. During
the chiefship of Bahlol, Kane lived 12 years.
Bahlol lived 105 years; and had two sons, Maroof and Alee-khan ;
(the first time the title of khan occurs). Bahlol appointed Maroof at the
age of 30 years, his successor. Maroof was very severe in his rule, and
had the curses of his tribe: on which account he did not reign more
than ten years, and then died of a severe complaint. His heirs in a short
time ran through with all the property he left.
Two months after his death, one of his wives bare a son, by name
Umar. His father and mother used to visit the Isakzye and Aleezye
shrines for fortune for their son; Umar had no property. When Umar
was about 14 years of age, the Abdalees of the hills made many sei-
zures of lands, and many disputes and feuds arose in the tribe in con-
sequence. ‘The chiefs at last agreed to appoint Umar, who had now
grown up, to divide the lands, and apportion them fairly, and to be their
representative in all their communications with the Beglar-begee of
* In the time of the Duranee kings when the Khans received their pay from the
treasury, they deducted from every horseman ( Sahir) 3 rupee on account of the Kat-
khuda, who was an officer appointed to every 100 men to collect them when called for
the service of the State.
454 . An account of the Early Abdalees. [No. 162.
Candahar. (This implies a Persian rule in that province). When Umar
was one year old, Ako Aleezye, a noted person for sanctity in those times,
with his son Khalo then 100 years old, and his grandson Mando, then
S5 years old, came to the house of Umar’s mother; who killed a goat
and its kid, which was all she had for them. They in return prayed for
her, and told her she would soon gain her heart’s desire. Ako told her
that he had seen two dreams regarding the child Umar; one was, that
he had seen a lion enter the house of Umar, which meant that he would
have a son, whose name should be called Asadullah, ‘‘ Lion of God:’’ the
second dream was, that he saw the house of Asadullah, who should also
be called Sado, covered with a hog’s skin. ‘The mother of Umar enter-
tained great apprehensions regarding the mention of the unclean beast; but
Ako comforted her, by assuring her that the hog’s skin meant wealth.
The Afghans (some) pretend to believe that Ako’s dream of the hog’s
skin referred to the alliance formed by a descendant of Soda, (Shah
Shuja-ul-Mulk) with the pork-eating English !! who entered Afghanis-
tan with him in the Turkish year of the hog !!! (1839.)
The chiefs in pursuance of their determinaton waited on Umar, tak-
ing with them food for their own consumption as they knew the pover-
ty of Umar, and appointed him their chief. His first care was, to settle
the land disputes on a basis which ever after remained unshaken.
As chief, he held communication on the part of the tribe with the
Beglar-begee of Candahar.
During his time the Barakzyes of the hills rebelled, and maltreated
his emissaries sent to make the usual collections, saying, “ The chief-
ship was given to us by our forefather, and Popal took it by force.”
Umar immediately collected his force for the reduction of the Barak-
zyes, in which he succeeded taking hostages from them, as well as from
some Noorzyes who bordered on the Barakzyes, and joined in the rebel-
lion. He lived 98 years; and had two sons, Asadullah (Sado) and
Saleh. : .
Another informant, an Aleezye chief says, Sado after being blessed
by Ako, who was a disciple of Sakhee Sarwar’s, found a treasure, and by
means of it gained influence in the tribe. If this story be a fabrication,
it at least betrays a knowledge of the Afghan character.
In 1841, there was in Cabool a Salehzye, named Hajee-khan, who
said he was the last of his tribe. He and Taizulla-khan of Candahar, now
1845. | An account of the Early Abdalees. . 455
dead, a brother of my Aleezye informant, were reckoned almost the only
men in Afghanistan who possessed a knowledge of Afghan history.
Some say, that Umar was told in a dream by a vision of his forefather
Eesa, to name his sons Saleh and Soda. Saleh became the disciple of a
saint, gave up the world, and passed his time in austere devotions.
When Umar reached the age of 89, Sado being 25 years old, and
Saleh 60, he collected his tribe and informed them that as his end
was approaching, he must name a successor. That as for Saleh, he
had given up the world, and was in no way adapted for the chiefship.
That Sado had been nominated by the Aleezye Fakeers, Ako, Khalo
and Mando, and was moreover thought by him the most fit. The tribe
immediately confirmed, as did Saleh who, when doing so, spoke these
words: ‘I have five sons ; Durkhan, Ibrahim-khan, Bazeed-khan, Maya
and Alo, who again have children. Let Sado exempt the whole of my
descendants from taxation of every kind as long as the chiefship remains
in the house of Sado.” This was agreed to by Sado before his father
and the tribe.
Umar and Saleh then girt Sado’s loins. This is still a custom in
Afghanistan. On a king ascending the throne, some saintly character
of great fame is sent for, who undoes his own ‘‘ langootee,” and puts
it round the waist of the king, who in return invests the saint with
a splendid dress of honor. Sado’s turban was then put on by Alee, the
son of Mando Aleezye, and all the people prayed for his long life and
prosperity.
Some time after the accession of Sado, Khaja Khidr and Ismail, grand-
sons of Neknam, a Barikzye Malik, rebelled against his authority, and
refused to admit his ‘‘ Mahsals,’’ revenue collectors and bailiffs, into their
districts ; on the plea that their progenitor Barak ruled for fifteen years,
and that Popal got the chiefship unjustly, and by boyish blandishments.
They agreed to give a sheep or two now and then, according to their
ability, but would not agree to the daily demands and constant sending
of Mahsals, some of whom they forcibly ejected from their districts.
On hearing this, Sado became furious, and collected his force. Other
Barikzyes came and begged forgiveness, entreating Sado not to attend to
what a few fools or madmen said ; and promised themselves to punish their
rebellious fellow tribesmen. By this Sado was pacified, and appointing
other chiefs, and giving them his countenance, deputed them to punish
456 An account of the Early Abdatees. [ No. 162.
the rebels, which they faithfully did. Khaja Khidr being slain, some
Kutezyes also evinced a rebellious spirit ; and were chastised, and security
for their future good behaviour was taken. The other tribes profited
by the example. Sado behaved liberally to all who acknowledged his
authority, and punished all severely who disobeyed him. He listened
to the petitions of the poor, dispensed justice strictly according to the
Shara, was pacific in his policy, and protected his subjects. His go-
vernment was established over the Abdalees on a basis that had never
been in a like manner secured by his forefathers.
When at leisure from the Abdalees, he subjugated, partly by con-
ciliation and partly by force, the tribes of Ghiljyes and Hazarahs, in
whose disputes he was sole arbitrator. He built several mosques and
schools, as well as many works of utility, such as bridges, wells, and
roads.
He lived in all 75 years ; and had five sons, Khaja Khidr-khan, Mou-
dood-khan, Zafran-khan, Kamran-khan, and Bahadur-khan.
Khaja Khidr-khan and Kamran-khan are said to have been of one
mother, and Zafran-khan of-a slave girl.
The Bahadur-khels settled in Multan, where and at Dera Ismail-khan
and Tak-i-Sarwar-khan, there are some remains.
Muzaffar-khan, governor of Multan, was a Bahadur-khel.
The Kamran-khels were divided into Eesa-khels and Moosa-khels.
Usman-khan, who was Shah Shuja’s vizier in 1841, traced his descent
as follows, from Kamran, viz.: Usman, the son of Ramatullah, Shah
Zeman’s vizier, the son of Fatullah, the son of Haroon, the son of
Yoosaf,. the son of Yakoob, the son of Moosa, the son of Kamran.
Walee Mahammad-khan, another Sadozye of rank at Candahar, who
also gave me some information, traced his descent from Kamran, as fol-
lows: Walee Mahammad, the son of Abdu Salam-khan, who was a
brother of Abdul-khalik-khan, (who rebelled against Shah Zeman), the
son of Rahman-khan, the son of Abdullah-khan, (who, according to
some, gave his daughter in marriage to Meer Wais Ghiljye, who had
two sons by her, Shah Mahmood and Shah Husen, receiving in mar-
riage inreturn Meer Wais’s daughter), the son of Jafar Sultan, (whose
residence and control was at Potye-i-Sadozye and Shahr-i-Safa by one
account, whose wife named Durkhee gave her daughter Khanzad to
Meer Wais’s mother for her son), son of Eesa, son of Kamran.
1845. ] An account of the arly Abdalees. 457
The two first of Sado’s sons were the most forward and talented, and
the other three were not much noticed either by their father or the
tribe, some of. whom inclined to Khaja Khidr-khan, and some to
Moudood-khan. When Sado grew enfeebled through age, he collected
his tribe, and told them to choose among the two. Moudood-khan being
the eldest, was elected chief; but Sado remonstrated, saying, ‘‘ Although
Khaja Khidr-khan is the youngest, yet he has more noble qualities than
his four brothers. I also saw a dream regarding him, as follows:
« After midnight, an old white-bearded man with a green stick, and a
green wrapper round him, made his appearance. ‘The effulgence of his
countenance was such, that I fancied a light had been brought into the
room. Steadfastly regarding him, I hardly knew whether I was awake
or was seeing a dream?
** | started—awoke, and arose, as did my wife; I then enquired from the
vision, ‘ why he had honored my humble house by entering it ?’ He replied,
‘Be joyful, for God will give you a son, whom you must call Khaja
Khidr; who shall so excel in every good quality, that men shall be
unable fully to sing his deserts.’ On asking the vision his name, he
evaded the question; I prest him, he at last replied, ‘ The child is to be
called after me.’ He then took his departure, and I followed him some
paces, when dismissing me he shortly vanished from my sight. On
my son’s birth, I called him Khaja Khidr. Now although I love all my
sons equally, yet, on account of my dream, I incline to think him fittest
to be chief.” |
The Sarbannees however still persisted in their choice of Moudood
Khan.
Khaja Khidr-khan then proposed, that the tribe should range them-
selves on his or his brother’s side as they chose. The Sarbannees
would not agree to this, saying with great truth, that a division would
be prejudicial to the general interests of the tribe. It was finally
settled, that Moudood-khan should be chief, and Khaja Khidr-khan his
deputy.
During the lifetime of Sado their father, the former delegated all his
_ powers to the latter, and merely retained the name of chief; but on the
death of Sado the tribe with one consent transferred the chiefship to
Khaja Khidr-khan, who became very popular, being approved of by the
saints, and being talented, conciliatory, and liberal.
3R
458 An account of the Early Abdalees. [No. 162.
Khaja Khidr-khan became chief at thirty-five years of age, and ruled
forty-seven years. He had two sons, Khudadad Sultan and Sher-khan.
This is the first time the title of Sultan occurs. He is known among
the Afghans as Sultan Khudakye, who divided the lands of the Abdalees
and Ghiljyes at Pul-i-Sangee with Sultan Malakhe Ghiljye.* This
title of Sultan, I have reason to suppose, was conferred by Aurangzeb.f
Khudadad Sultan, on the death of his father Khaja Khidr-khan, be-
came chief without any opposition from his brother.
He soon afterwards invaded the territory of Jyob, and laid it waste
while the inhabitants fled to the hills. On his return, a man of the
country and his three children were intercepted in a ravine, unable to
flee ; when brought before him he immediately ordered them to be killed,
although they appeared innocent and godly people.
Pitching his camp near the spot, at night he saw a vision. The four
murdered persons appeared, and threatened him with the death he had
so unjustly inflicted on them. Terror had taken possession of his soul,
when the same vision with the green stick and green garment that had
appeared to Sado made his appearance, and, after reproaching him with
his tyrannical act, promised to save him, provided he would immediately
abdicate in favor of his brother Sher-khan, and act as his deputy. Khu-
dadad Sultan awoke in great dread, and assembling his attendants and
followers, renounced the chiefship in favor of Sher-khan, and informed
him he had done so by an express courier or ‘‘ Chapar.”
During the chiefship of Khudadad Sultan a friendly communication
was sustained with the Beglar-begee of Candahar, but soon after Sher
Khan’s accession it received a sudden check in the following manner.—
The Beglar-begee of Candahar had sent a force towards Foshanj
(Pishing) to collect the taxes on land and sheep, called Maldaghees
and Sargalye. Having finished their collections, they were returning to
Candahar. Onarriving at the Kojak Pass they were attacked, defeated,
and nearly all slain by the Abdalees: some fled, but were pursued, and,
being overtaken, lost their horses and clothes.
* The dispute was regarding the two districts of Omakye and Gwaharye, and is said
to have been settled by ashepherd, appealed to by botb parties, on the simple principle
that Khudakye and Gwaharye sounded well together as did Malakhe and Omakye.
+ 1 have seen the original Rukum of Aurangzeb to Sultan Malakhe, giving him
charge of the King’s road from Kalat to Karatvo, to keep it clear of the Hazarah
robbers.
1845. | An account of the Early Abdalees. 459
On the Beglar-begee hearing of this, he wrote to Sher-khan, request-
ing him to send the culprits to Candahar. Sher-khan made excuses,
saying, that Beeloches, Kakers, and other migratory tribes inhabited the
neighbourhood of the Kojak, and the real depredators were therefore
difficult to discover. The Beglar-begee enraged at this, by way of re-
prisal, attacked and plundered the Abdalees who inhabited the neigh-
bourhood of Candahar, Sher-khan on hearing this collected his tribe,
and both parties arranged themselves for hostilities.
At this time Pishing, Sharabak, Shawl, Harnye, and Mastung were
all dependencies of Candahar. On this difference arising, all com-
munication between Candahar and these places was stopt; and on
Sher-khan succeeding, which he did, in gaining possession of Shah Safa,
a post only nine farsakhs from Candahar, the communication with
Kalat-i-Ghiljye, the Ghiljyes, and Hazarahs, was also cut off.
In this dilemma the Beglar-begee wrote for instructions from his
master, the king of Persia, who in reply ordered him to look out for
some rival chief in the same tribe and patronize him.
The Beglar-begee sought out and found Shah Husen-khan, a cousin
of Sher-khan, on whom the king of Persia conferred the title of a
Prince-royal, viz. Meerza.
Meerza Shah Husen took up his residence at Deh-i-Shekh, and Sher-
khan at Shahr-i-Safa, and thus the first division among the Abdalees
took place. The tribe often remonstrated with Shah Husen Meerza,
and protested against Mogul interference. As he stoutly denied being
under Persian influence, he had adherents in the tribe as well as Sher-
khan; indeed the Abdalees constantly said they did not care which
brother they obeyed so long as the Moguls (Persians) did not interfere.
Jaleel Aleezye was Shah Husen Meerza’s right-hand man, and
was always deputed by him to Candahar to negotiate with the Beglar-
begee. Some years past in this manner. On Jaleel taking his leave
after one of his visits to Candahar, the Beglar-begee entrusted him
with the following message for his master Shah Husen Meerza:
“The king of Persia, my master, has honored you by adopting you as
his son, and has conferred on you the princely title of Meerza ; you have
30 or 40,000 men. [I also have a force, and every day fresh orders
come from my master for the destruction of Sher-khan’s power ; believe
me, our delaying any longer can only do us harm at court.”
460 An account of the Early Abdalees. [No. 162.
The Ameens of the Chaghatye monarch in Eastern Afghanistan
heard of this and reported it to their master, the king of Dehli, and
pointed out that Sher-khan was a man of great influence in his tribe
who had excited the wrath of the king of Persia by opposing his
cousin Shah Husen Meerza, who was supported by that monarch, and
was on that account disposed to receive the protection of the king of
India, which they strongly recommended should be extended to him.
This recommendation brought letters of encouragement, and the
title of Shahzadah for Sher-khan from the Emperor of Delhi, who en-
joined the Soobhadar of Cabool and Hakim of Ghuznee to afford Sher-
khan assistance whenever he required it.
On receiving these honors the power of Sher-khan increased, and
Meerza Shah Husen’s declined in proportion. This was to be expected,
for the Afghans would naturally prefer the Sunnee king of Delhi to the
Sheeah king of Persia: and doubtlessly Sher-khan immediately in-
dented on the Governors of Cabool and Ghuznee for dresses of honor
for his adherents, and created a rival of popularity by this means also in
the tribe. .
Jaleel Aleezye was immediately despatched with this intelligence to
the Beglar-begee of Candahar, who reported it to his master the king
of Persia. In reply, a horse and a dress of honor were sent for Shah
Husen Meerza, and dresses of honor and letters of encouragement for
his adherents were despatched by the hands of Jaleel Aleezye, who was
also bearer of a message to Shah Husen Meerza from the Beglar-begee,
which was, that the Beglar-begee had much wished to come himself to
visit the Abdalee chief, but was prevented by the unquiet state of some
of his districts, and hoped that he would be able to come to Candahar.
An interview had often before been talked of, but Shah Husen Meerza
always, when invited to Candahar, excused himself, pointing out the
advantages his rival, Sher-khan, would gain in his absence from the tribe.
This time, however, flattered by the receipt of the king of Persia’s pre-
sents, and burning with jealousy at the increasing power of his rival, he
consented. ‘The tribe, hearing of his intention, assembled, and said,
‘‘ You may go to Candahar of course, if you like; but we warn you that
something may take place to our detriment, such as a dispute or a
quarrel with the Moguls.” Shah Husen Meerza, notwithstanding the
warning, set out for Candahar ; and appeared at the Beglar-begee’s durbar.
1845. ] An account of the Early Abdalees. 461
Jaleel Aleezye always stood with his hands joined in the presence of
Shah Husen Meerza, his master; but as he was Wakeel at Candahar,
the Beglar-begee allowed him always to sit, as he did on the present
occasion.
Jaleel was a handsome and clever-spoken man; Shah Husen Meerza
was slow-speaking, black, and short.
Jaleel constantly introduced his own opinions in the conversation,
and was told by signs to be quiet. ‘These had no effect, and he more
than once interrupted what his master was saying; took the words
out of his mouth, and finished his sentence for him. Shah Husen
Meerza, unable to contain himself, at last said, ‘‘ Slave of low origin,
what does this disrespectful behaviour, and these interruptions mean ?”’
Jaleel foolishly allowed himself to reply, ‘‘ A slave is always known by
his color.”
Quick as thought Shah Husen drew his dagger, and sheathed it in
the body of Jaleel, who expired immediately, his entrails protruding on
the carpet. On witnessing this tragedy, the Beglar-begee and whole
court rose hastily, partly in alarm and partly in rage. Shah Husen
Meerza no sooner observed this than throwing away his dagger, he
said, ‘‘ Be not concerned ; that slave has only paid the forfeit of his im-
pertinence.”
As he was the adopted son of the king of Persia, they contented
themselves with putting him in restraint; while they reported the
tragedy, and waited for instructions.
A decision arrived from the king of Persia to the effect, that Shah
Husen Meerza was quite right in killing his slave, if he offended.
Fresh dresses of honor were despatched with a letter of encouragement
to the prisoner, who was ordered to be released immediately, and sent to
his government. This favor, however, came too late; the mischief had
been done already, for during Shah Husen’s confinement the whole tribe
of Abdalees had gone over to Sher-khan, and acknowledged his authority.
Meerza Shah Husen therefore, on obtaining his release, went direct to
| Sher-khan, and, acknowledging his authority, expressed his determina-
tion of proceeding to Hindustan ; which he soon after carried into effect,
leaving Sher-khan in absolute undisputed possession of the chiefship.
When the Beglar-begee heard of this he wrote to the king of Persia,
who sent a letter to Sher-khan, couched in these words : ‘‘ There is bro-
462 An account of the Early Abdalees. [ No. 162,
therhood between my house and that of the Koraganee; if you have
been made a Shahzadah by the king of Delhi, I also adopt you as my
son, and allow you full authority over your own tribe independent of
the Beglar-begee; but if he is attacked, or otherwise requires your assis-
tance, give it him.”
Sher-khan accepted these honors, and appointed as naiks or deputies,
Badal Baneezye, and Meer, son of Mubarak, son of Jalaludeen Alakozye.
The Beglar-begee at intervals sent people to make complimentary
enquiries after Sher-khan’s health, and requested that the deputies
Badal and Meer should attend on him at Candahar.
Meer Alakozye was alone sent, and directed, if enquiries were made
for Badal, to make an excuse that he was ill, and to say that he would
make his appearance on his recovery; or if that should be retarded,
some one should be sent in his stead. Meer arrived, and had an inter-
view with the Beglar-begee, whom he found preparing a force to
collect the revenue of the districts of Shorabak, Pishing, and Huruge,
vid the Kojak Pass.
Meer, being presented with a dress of honor and a horse, sent a small
detachment of his own men in company with the Moghul troops, who
saw them safe across the Pass, and overawed the above districts into
payment of revenue, for which assistance he received further khiluts
and his leave.
A difficulty however arose, which was, to get the Persian detachment
with their collections across the Pass on their return to Candahar.
Sher-khan was therefore again written to, who this time despatched
Badal Baneezye with an introduction, which, after the detachment had
been by him seen safe across the Kojak, procured for him a dress of
honor and two horses.
He received his leave and charge of seven horses with golden trap-
pings, and various pieces of rich Persian stuffs for his master Sher-khan,
which had been sent by the king of Persia with an encouraging letter.
Sher-khan became chief at thirty-two years of age, and lived in all
sixty-five years ; and had one son, named Sarmast-khan.
When he was twenty years of age, his father Sher-khan being much
addicted to the chase, went one Friday out hunting, and had a fall
from -his horse ; his attendants taking him home senseless. On open-
ing his eyes, and seeing Sarmast-khan, he desired Bakhtyar-khan,
1845. | An account of the Early Abdalees. 463
grandson of Saleh, might be sent for, On his arrival, he thus made
known his wishes to the couple: ‘‘ My recovery is out of the question ;
therefore, as Sarmast-khan is but a boy, I appoint you, Bakhtyar-
khan, his guardian ; let him follow my example. And do you, Sarmast,
attend to the advice of Bakhtyar-khan, and appoint him your deputy
should you ever be absent from your tribe ; and, remember, be liberal.
I have spent my life as heart could desire; I have nothing to regret not
having done. Ihave so behaved to the tribe, foes, and friends, that they
will never forget me. Ifa friend and a foe quarrelled in my presence, I
never decided so, that favor if existing should appear ; and at other pro-
per times, I have so treated my friend, that the people flocked to him ; so
that whenever a foe appeared, so many friends arose for me, that he
became powerless. If any one in the tribe belied another, or aspersed
his character, I never publicly exposed either, or lowered a friend in the
eyes of the people.”
Sher-khan died three days after this. Sarmast-khan faithfully followed
the precepts his father had taught him. He lived in all 50 years. He had
three sons, Doulat-khan, and two others whose names are not known,
as they died without issue.
On the death of Sarmast-khan, as Doulat-khan was quite a boy,
Haiyat Sultan succeeded to the chiefship of the tribe. He was a cou-
sin of Sarmast-khan’s. He also conducted all communications with the
Beglar-begee of Candahar.
This latter once made a feast, and invited to it all the Afghan chiefs,
Kat-khudahs and Sar-khels, to meet his own Moghul Sardars. Wine was
introduced, and ceremony thrown aside. MHaiyat Sultan and the other
Afghans were induced to join in the revelry, and, as they were not so
accustomed to the juice of the grape as their entertainers, soon got in.
toxicated. From the praises of wine it was not long before the com-
pany entered upon the praises of woman ; each party, of course, becoming
the champions of its own countrywomen. At last proposals for inter-
marriages were made, and agreed to by both parties. Seven Afghan
daughters were betrothed by name to as many of the Persian officers,
and vice versa, and dresses of honor were given to their Afghan fathers-
in-law that were to be. Next morning Haiyat Sultan on getting sober,
became painfully aware how he and his companions had committed
themselves, and was at a loss how to leave Candahar. In this dilemma
‘4
464 An account of the Early Abdalees. [ No. 162.
Mubarik, one of the Afghan Kat-khudahs, a man of experience and
expedients, suggested that the Persians should be told that it was their
custom that the bridegrooms should visit the houses of the brides,*
the consent of whose relations would also be first required.
The Afghan chiefs thus got their leave, and they returned to their
tribe, accompanied by some of their would-be sons-in-law, and several
matrons to attend the brides, and bring them to Candahar.
On the news of these mutual engagements spreading, the whole of
the Sarbannees and Abdalees besieged Haiyat Sultan on his return,
and a council was held.
Doulat-khan had by this time grown up, and had his seat in all the coun-
cils (piijahs.) On the present occasion, after paying all due deference
to his uncle, he proposed to try the Moghuls to suggest they should first
give their daughters to the Afghans. This was proposed accordingly.
The Moghuls however replied, that their daughters were far off at Ispa-
han, while those of the Afghans were close at hand, and could be ac-
cording to agreement married, while theirs were being sent for. The
rude Afghan chiefs were led by this to believe, that the intentions of
the Moghuls were not honorable; and they called on Haiyat Sultan,
who had brought them into this scrape, to get them out of it.
Haiyat Sultan saying, as he had been for a long time friends with
the Beglar-begee he could not give an unbiased opinion, rose from the
council and sought his private apartment, deputing Doulat-khan to
act in his stead.
Doulat-khan’s speech was a true Afghan one. ‘‘If,” said he, “ you
take my advice, you will sacrifice four of these Sheeah Moghuls to our four
Sunnee Yars, (four first caliphs, excluding Alee the fifth, the favorite of the
Sheeahs,) as a punishment for their presumption ; and hand the ma-
trons over to Masoor Baneezye, who will provide for them.” This
method of cutting the gordian knot of their difficulties being highly
approved of by the assembled simple, hospitable, and brave chiefs, the
throats of four of their principal guests were cut.
On this treachery reaching the Beglar-begee, he wrote reproaching
Haiyat Sultan, who excused himself, and laid the blame on Doulat-khan.
The Persian governor then challenged Haiyat Sultan to prove his non-
*When they are very high in rank, they send their swords instead, to represent their
persons.
i845.) An account of the Eurly Abdaiees. 465
participation in this foul massacre by coming to make friends with him
again at Candahar. This he excused himself from doing, saying he
would not be permitted to do so by the tribe.
All retribution or apology thus being withheld, the Beglar-begee col-
lected a force under one of his chiefs, named Farrukh, and despatched it
against the Afghans, and a great battle was fought at Yaggak, in which
the Persians were defeated, and their commander killed. The Beglar-begee
believing the old saying, that “‘ the painter’s second drawing is the best,”
sent another force, before the Afghans thought he would have heart or
power to collect it, and fully retrieved the former defeat, and effectually
punished the Afghans’ perfidy. Haiyat Sultan retired to Hindustan.
He had two sons, Abdulla-khan and Khan Mahammad-khan. Abdulla-
khan had four sons, Allaiyar, Sadullah, Khan Mahammad, and Alee.
Khan Mahammad-khan had two sons; Raheem-khan, who fled to the
Deccan from Ahmad Shah, and was not after heard of, and Akbar Shah,
blinded by Ahmad Shah, whose son was Khan-i-khanan. During
Doulat-khan’s time the Beglar-begee was recalled by the court of Per-
sia, and another governor sent in his stead, with whom Attal and Iz-
zat Sadozyes and Meer Wais-khan Ghilgye intrigued against Doulat-
khan, while they pretended to be his friends. Their object was to set
aside Doulat-khan. The two Sadozyes becoming chiefs of the Abda-
lees and Meer Wais-khan of the Ghiljyes; having at last succeeded
in imbuing the mind of Doulat-khan with suspicion of the Beglar-begee;
and in incensing the latter against him. |
Doulat-khan was suddenly besieged in a small fort on the outskirts
of his tribe, taken ptisoner, and with his son Nazar-khan, and favourite
and confidential slave, Fakeer, put to death. His tomb is in the Raza-
bagh at Kohak near Candahar. He left two sons, Rustam-khan and
Mahammad Zuman-khan. Nazar-khan is said to have been Doulat’s
brother by some.
On this occurrence Rustam-khan sought the tribe, and gained such
influence there as to make the Beglar-begee anxious to secure his
friendship. He therefore wrote, proposing that the past should be buried
in oblivion, and that his two principal advisers, Sarwar-khan Baneezye,
the son of Bukhtyar-khan, and Katak Kootezye Alakozye, should be
despatched to Candahar to arrange the terms of friendship and alliance.
They were despatched, and, on their return with dresses of honor, gave
35
466 An account of the Early Abdalees. [ No. 162.
such a favourable account of their reception as to induce their master
to accept the invitation of the Beglar-begee, of which they were the
bearers. |
Rustam-khan was confirmed in the chiefship by the king of Persia ;
he kept on such good terms with the governor, and was held in such
high estimation by the whole Moghul force, that many swore by his
head.
A rebellion broke out among the Beeloches, and, as was usual, Rustam-
khan was called on to despatch a small Afghan detachment with the
Moghul troops, which latter were defeated. This was taken advantage
of by Hajee Meer Wais-khan Ghiljaee, and by Attal-khan and Izzat-
khan Sadozyes, who were Rustam’s rivals at court; and the Beglar-
begee was by them persuaded that the defeat of the Moghul troops had
been arranged between the rebels and the Afghan chief. Rustam-khan
was therefore coaxed to court, and thrown in prison. He was, after
suffering great privations, released, on his three rivals promising to mur-
der him.
Hajee Meer Wais excused himself from being the executioner, on the
plea, that should his Sadozye co-adjutors commit the deed, a bloody feud
in that tribe would be the result, which would be favorable to the
Persian power.
Izzat was also found to have some spark of patriotism left, and there-
fore Attal became the murderer, some say, partly in revenge for the death
of his uncle, Jafar Sultan.
Rustam-khan only ruled four years, and left no issue. His tomb is
also in the Razabagh, at Kohak, near Candahar. Mahammad Zaman-
khan was at this time in Kirman.
Hajee Meer Wais-khan was the son-in-law of Jafar Sultan Sadozye
Kamran-khelee. Doulat-khan had Meer Wais’ father as a hostage.
In Jafar Sultan’s time his wife, by name Durkhee, gave her daughter,
Khanzad, to Meer Wais, and it is said that one of the objects of Hajee
Meer-khan’s visit to Ispahan was to get the chiefship of the Abdalees
for his brother-in-law.
In the insurrection organized by Hajee Meer Wais-khan, after his
return from Persia and Mecca, in which the Beglar-begee, Shahnawaz-
khan, was murdered. ‘The Abdalees cordially co-operated in the under-
standing that, if successful, they were to share power, lands, treasures, &c.
1845. | An account of the Early Abdalees. 467
equally with the Ghiljyes. This latter party, however, played them
false, and the Abdalees took arms. A great battle was fought between
the rival tribes near Algabad in the Dasht-i-Boree, in which the Ghil-
jyes were victorious, and the Abdalees, under Sadulla-khan Sadozye, re-
tired to Herat, of which they became masters by profiting by the dissen-
sions inside. Others say, that one Allaiyar-khan was the Sadozye chief,
who got possession of the citadel of Herat by disguising some fifty ©
followers as merchants with a caravan.
Shah Mahmood Ghiljye, the son and successor of Meer Wais, it is
said, made an attempt to take Herat from the Abdalees, and for that
purpose advanced to Nawah on the Helmand, where he was met by the
Herat force under Sadulla. A battle ensued, in which the latter was killed,
and Shah Mahmood returned to Candahar. He next year again ad-
vanced on Herat, as -far as Giranee, on the Farrah Rod. Here he was
met by a deputation from Herat sent by Sadulla’s mother, who was
a sister of his mother, * which induced him to change his plans and to
proceed via Seistan to Kirmam.
By the other account Allaiyar-khan is said, after getting possession of
Herat, to have put his brother Zuman-khan and all his sons to death,
and that Ahmad alone escaped, by being an infant in the cradle. His
mother, who was an Alakozye, took him to Hajee Ismail Aleezye, the
Beglar-begee of Herat, and, by promising him her daughter for his son,
got him to intercede with Allaiyar to spare the infant’s life. Hajee
Ismail shewed the child to his Peer, a spiritual father, Mulla Usman, an
Alakozye Akhund, who foretold that he would be favoured of God.
On Ahmad growing up, many of the Abdalees flocked to him, which
causing Allaiyar uneasiness, he had them all put to death: and Hajee
Ismail had his protegé conveyed to the neighbourhood of Subzwar and
Farrah, and there kept concealed. Allaiyar-khan’s wrath was thus turned
on the Hajee whom he was waiting the first favorable opportunity of kill-
ing, when Nadir Shah appeared in the field and attracted the attention of
all Khorasan.t Mulla Usman was called upon to foretell events; which
* Khanzad was Mahmood’s mother, and Sadulla’s mother must by this have been a
second daughter of Durkhee and Jafar Sultan.
+ My Aleezye informant makes Allaiyar the governor of Herat about this time,
while a descendant of Shah Husen assures me that his name was-Sadulla. Again,
that Mahammad Zuman-khan was once governor of Herat there is no doubt, his tomb
is now there. In the History of Persia, Mahammad-khan, the governor of Herat, is
mentioned as having been sent by the king of Persia with overtures to Meer Wais on
468 An account of the Early Abdalees. [No. 162.
he did, by assuring them that 6,000 Afghans would be led into captivity
by the Persian conqueror, and that this visitation of the Almighty’s
wrath was caused by the cries of one poor Noorzye shepherdess, who in
vain entreated her harsh mistress to give her in-door work, instead
of the hunger and cold of the bleak mountains. In the course of time,
Nadir Shah appeared before Herat, which he besieged for fourteen
months, leading into captivity 6,000 Afghans, men and women, which he
distributed throughout the town of Persia, employing the boldest and
most able-bodied in his army.
Their chiefs at this time were Ghanee-khan Alakozye, and Noor Ma-
hammad-khan Aleezye.
Nadir Shah had been besieging Daghistan foreleven months without
success, and his temper became accordingly soured, when one day a
shot from the besieged ramparts was so admirably thrown as to fill the
dishes Nadir Shah was dining off in his tent with dust. This gave the
climax to his wrath; and he ordered the chiets of the captive Abdalees
to be summoned. Among them, besides the two above-mentioned, were
Hajee Jamal- khan Mahammadzye, and Janooand Manoo-khans Noorzyes.
Nadir Shah informed them, swearing by Sultan Alee Moosa, that they
would all be massacred should they fail in becoming masters of the for-
tress within twenty-four hours.
The Abdalees seeing their case desperate, swore to die like men, and
sent a communication to the besieged, desiring them to evacuate the
fortress within six hours, which, being of course laughed at, the Abdalees
prepared for the attack. This was so sudden and so desperate—the
Abdalees still passing on over the dead bodies of 600 of their brethren—
as to inspire the besieged with a sudden panic, which did not subside
until they had gained the outside of the fort in their retreat. Nadir
Shah was so pleased, that he ordered the Abdalees to ask any favor of
him. ‘‘ Revenge us on the Ghiljyes of Candahar, and give us their
by
lands,” was their first request, and ‘‘release our captives,’ was their
second. Both were granted, and orders were given to collect the Af-
his insurrection. Again, it is mentioned that in the time of Shah Mahmood Ghiljye
of Candahar, the Uzbecks invaded Khorasan, and were joined by Azadullak
(Sadulla?) Duranee chief of the Hazarajat, who had been formerly dependent on
Herat, but who had been estranged by an insult offered him by the governor of Herat,
Mahammad Zuman-khan. A Persian force of 30,000 men advanced to Herat, and
defeated the Uzbecks; but was in its turn defeated by the Afghans, 15,000 in number,
under Azadulla, who retained possession of Herat and its dependencies. i
1845. ] An account of the Early Abdalees. 469
ghans from all parts of Persia; wives were restored to their husbands,
and daughters to their fathers: only one Aleezye was left to mourn a
wife, who in his grief sought his chief, Noor Mahammad-khan, who had
the title of Meer-i-Afghan. Every diligence was made in searching for
her, and she was at last discovered to be in the harem of Nadir’s own
son. Noor Mahammad, emboldened by the past favors of that monarch,
represented the case to Nadir Shah at his next interview, who thought
to keep his word, and at the same time avoid the disgrace of a lady who
had once entered Nadir’s harem leaving it, by promising that she should
accompany her former husband back to his country, if she should be so
inclined ; calculating that the delicate food and rich attire, &c. &c. that
she had been accustomed to in his harem would disgust her with her
rough and greasy husband. [n this Nadir was disappointed, for in the
interview allowed the couple on the Afghan appealing to her to enable
him to hold up his head again among his “ Siyal,’’ (equals in society,)
she decided for returning home. This the king allowed her to do with
all the goods and chattels she had become possessed of.
On Nadir Shah’s marching on Candahar, Allaiyar opposed him at
Sabzwar, and was killed.
Hajee Ismail was sent for by Nadir, and ordered to bring Zaman-
khan’s son to the presence. This he did after Nadir had sworn that he
would not injure him.
It is said, that on Ahmad-khan first making his appearance before
Nadir Shah, the latter was so forcibly struck with a presentiment that
he would be king, as to have required an oath from him that he would
not molest his descendants.
He ordered him to be in constant attendance, and conferred on him
a golden staff set with jewels.
On Nadir Shah taking Candahar, the Afghans reminded him of his
promise regarding the Ghiljye lands. Ghanee-khan Alakozye got the
rich valley of the Arghandah for himself and tribe, while Noor Maham- _
mad-khan secured the fertile valley of Zemindawer for his Aleezyes.
The Barikzyes of the present day in pointing to the high and dry lands
that fell to their lot, bitterly regret that they were at that time not
properly represented at Nadir’s court.*
* Nadir Shah divided Candahar into 3000 kulbahs, which he called Arbabee: each
kulbah containing 100 tanabs, and each tanab being 60 yards square. From each
kulbah of these T'avelee lands sown by four kharwars (40 maunds) seed, he required
470 An account of the Early Abdalees. [No 162.
Ahmad-khan accompanied Nadir Shah in all his campaigns, and was
present in camp at the time of that monarch’s murder. How he suc-
ceeded in becoming Ahmad Shah by means of one of Nadir Shah’s
cash remittances from Hindustan that fell into his hands, belongs to
his own history, and nothing is left to note but the patriotism of Nadir’s
old Afghan officers.
On their being summoned to the upstart court of Ahmad Shah, to
give their advice for the consolidation of the rising Duranee* power,
First,” was their reply, ‘raise a body of 12,000 foreign Persian
troops as your ghulam-khanahs (slaves of your will,) as a check upon
your Duranees; and, secondly, have ws put to death, as we are too
powerful, and stand in your way.”
Their advice in both cases was taken by Ahmad Shah!
two horsemen. He gave the outskirt lands in Tavel to the Duranees, and the rich
suburb lands he assessed at one-tenth of the produce, after the following unfair ex-
periment in the lands under the walls of Candahar, which had on account of preceding
anarchy lain fallow for three years, whereas the land was always deemed and termed
“doo aish,’’ that is, two kulbahs were alternately cultivated year about. He appoint-
ed his own men to sow one kulbah with five kharwars of seed after ploughing it seven
times ; and because the outturn was 100 kharwars, he unfairly made a fixed settle-
ment of one-tenth, being ten kharwars grain, and ten kharwars straw (bhoosah.) The
Afghan’s hereditary lands are called mouroosee or kosai.
* Ahmad Shah assumed the title of Dur-i- Duran, ‘‘ pearl of pearls,’’ notwithstand -
ing his Peer, or spiritual adviser, suggested Dur-i-Douran, ‘‘ pearl of the age.”
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